


Remember Me

by RegalLove2



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV), Outlaw Queen - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, OQ Prompt Party
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-27
Updated: 2020-03-17
Packaged: 2020-03-19 20:24:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 29,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18977713
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RegalLove2/pseuds/RegalLove2
Summary: Robin loses his memories and Regina must make him fall in love with her again. Prompt:190My multi-chapter submission for OQ Prompt Party 2019! The prompt above was requested by my friend, Anny! She requested two prompts together but I added a bunch more in to make it work for most of the week:) Prompts that were used will be listed in the notes at the end of each chapter:) Thank you for reading and let me know what you think!





	1. Chapter 1

It’s very faint but, there’s a steady beeping in the distance. Everything is black. He can feel the pressure behind his eyes and a pounding in his skull, though he’s surrounded by darkness. Momentarily, his heart rate speeds up. It’s panic. It’s not something he’s particularly used to feeling but, he knows what it is. As the beating in his chest continues to grow faster, so does the beeping he’d heard. That steady, progressively louder noise is what finally grants him the strength to force his eyes open. As soon as his he does, he’s blinded by the harsh blue lights hanging above him and, when he tries and fails to turn his head, he has no other option but to close his eyes again. The sound is much louder now and, it’s unmistakeable. He’s in a hospital and, he’d guess, he was unconscious. At least that would explain the darkness. All of a sudden the machine isn’t all he hears. There are voices, though they’re a bit fuzzy. He can’t exactly make out what they’re saying but, he knows they’re there. He tries opening his eyes again but the light is still too strong. In the brief moment he was able to keep them open, he was able to catch a glimpse of a woman hovering over him. And, even in that second, he could see the fear on her face. 

“I think the light is bothering him. Can you please turn it off?” She sounds just a bit frantic as she asks whoever else is in the room. The other voice-a male-responds, asking kindly for her to turn on the lamp. He can hear the tell-tale click and he knows she’s followed the man’s instructions. “Robin?” 

He’s confused, not sure whether he should try to open his eyes again. A moment ago, he wasn’t even sure what his name was. He assumes she’s calling out to him. His name sounds foreign though, somehow, he knows it’s his. Truly, he can’t remember but, he just knows. There’s no way to tell exactly how long he’s stuck in the darkness or how many times he opens and closes his eyes before he’s able to keep them open. When he does, he’s met with the faces of a scared woman and a relieved looking doctor. The former grabs his hand and he can feel her shaky fingers around his. It’s oddly comforting. The doctor rounds the bed and comes closer, clicking a button on the machine that-thankfully- turns down the beeping and he smiles down at him. “Mr. Locksley, I’m Dr. Whale. You’re currently intubated, which might be causing some of your discomfort. I’m going to remove the tube, can you nod your head or blink to tell me you understand?" He tries to nod his head but, apparently he’s still unable to control his body so, he blinks twice. He’d be worried that he’s paralyzed if he couldn’t feel the pulsing squeezes the woman is giving his hand. It’s slightly painful, the removal of the tube but, the relief he feels when it’s gone, makes up for the temporary pain. “Does that feel better?” When the doctor asks him, he tries to answer, even manages to open his mouth but, nothing comes out. “You’ll be a little sore.” And oh, that’s understandable, he did just have a tube down his throat. So, he blinks again in answer. “You were in an accident Mr. Locksley. You took a pretty big blow to your head and there were some internal injuries that needed attention. The head injury was our biggest concern. We did have to operate and there is always a risk with those types of surgeries but, the fact that you’re awake and alert, is a great sign.”

“Wa…” He manages to get out a syllable before the itchiness in his throat causes him to cough, then he tries again. He barely gets out the first two letters before the woman standing next to him drops his hand and walks over to the tray table. She grabs a cup and pours some water from the pitcher, looking around for a moment before she grabs the straw out of, what he assumes to be her drink, and walks back over to him. She holds it out for him, steadying the straw in her hand for him to take a sip. He hopes that his face is expressing his thanks the way he feels it. This kind stranger must be able to read him well. The feeling of the cool liquid sliding down his throat brings more life to his body than he thought possible. He thinks he might be able to turn his head now, if he tried. “Tha-“ He tries but she waves him off, looking so relieved. 

So, he turns just a bit, enough to look at the doctor on the other side of him. It takes a few tries to say his next words. He mostly gets them out one at a time but he must manage to make it coherent because the man gets it and is quickly asking, “What don’t you remember? The accident? That’s typical with your kind of trauma.”

He takes a deep breath and hesitates, mustering up all his strength to get out one sentence that will clarify what he means. “I don’t…rememb-ber who I…I am.” The moment the words leave his mouth, the doctors face screws up in concern and his hand is being squeezed again. When he looks at her, the face she gives him makes his heart drop and he knows, he just knows that he hurt her. And, he wishes he knew who she was and why this news could be so devastating to her.

____________

The moment those words left his mouth, her heart sunk. If he didn’t remember who he was, he surely didn’t remember her. She lets go of his hand finally and lets hers fall to her side. She hasn’t had a second to even talk to him, not that she knows what to say. All of a sudden, another doctor is there, explaining the circumstances of his situation. 

The man looks poised and professional, completely unaffected by the situation as he explains possibly life changing news. “In these cases, we typically refer to three general types of memory. The first is Semantic Memory. This is a general knowledge of facts and it doesn’t seem to be affected. The next one is procedural memory, also known as muscle memory. Considering the fact that you’re talking and moving now, I’d say this one is in tact too.” He pauses briefly. “The problem seems to be with your episodic memory. Episodic includes any experience you’ve ever had. Conversations, people in your life, and in this case, even your name.” 

She itches to reach out again and grab his hand, trying to stay strong and grounded. She can’t. A few small tears escape the corner of her eyes and she gives in, moving to clutch his fingers tightly. He glances in her direction and she can tell, tell he feels sorry for her. That breaks her heart even more. He doesn’t even know who she is and yet, he’s trying to comfort her. 

“There’s no way to tell if and when your memory might come back.” 

Robin frowns, looking conflicted. “So, you’re saying that I may never know who I am?”

The doctor sighs, “I’m saying that you may not ever remember. But, you have an advantage in having people here that know you. The worst cases are the people that come in alone with no recognition of who they are. The chances of re-gaining memory increase exponentially when one is able to revert into their normal routine.”

He looks around the room then, eyes meeting each of the two doctors before they lock on hers. “I’m assuming you’re the person I know, then?” She can’t help it. More tears fall as she nods her head, hand still clutched tightly in his. He pauses at the sight of her and she can feel him squeeze her hand back, a comforting thing before he asks, “I’m sorry…. how do we know each other?”

By some miracle, she is able to bite back the sob that is itching to get out of her. “I..I’m… your…wife.” She avoids his eyes for a second and, she should’ve continued to do so. The look on his face is hesitation and confusion and she can’t take that. He looks like he’s about to say something but, her phone rings. She glances down at the screen and pulls away from him quickly. “I.. I need a moment. Excuse me.” 

Walking out of the room, she slides the screen to answer the phone. “Hey Zel.” Her sister skips the pleasantries and comes right out to ask how she’s doing. “He’s awake but,” she’s quick to clarify, “He doesn’t remember anything. Not even his own name.”

“Oh sis….” The redhead pauses. “Do they think he’ll get it back?”

“They don’t know. I actually need to get back in there. The doctors are still talking to us about it.” Another few tears fall down her cheeks. “When they get home, tell the boys that I love them. And Zel?” He sister hums in response. “Please don’t tell them that he’s awake yet. I’ll try to come by later tonight to tuck them in but, if not, I’ll be there in the morning before school. I want to wait to talk to them about it until we know more.”

“Of course. I’ll have them call you when they get home. Hang in there, babe. Let me know if you need anything else.” 

She thanks her again, for the thousandth time. Then, she takes a moment to compose herself and take a few deep breaths before tilting her head up and walking back into the room. 

__________

He watches her leave the room and feels a sudden sense of sadness. He’s beyond confused. Half an hour ago, he was blissfully unaware, surrounded by darkness. Now, he’s got no idea who he is and, he’s supposed to believe he’s married? He does believe it, and that’s what scares him. She’s beautiful and clearly cares about him. He has so many questions on the tip of his tongue but, he has no idea what to ask first. Then, her phone rings and her face goes devoid of emotion as she leaves to pick it up. He watches her go, watches her through the window as she talks to whoever is on the other line. He’s mesmerized by her, the way she stands straighter as she talks, how she’s clearly trying to be brave. She pauses in her talking, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear and, the sight is endearing. When she finally walks back into the room, he catches her eye. She ducks her head a bit, apologizing for walking out at such an inconvenient time. “It’s alright.” He doesn’t know what else to say so, he turns toward the doctor again. “You said that the chances of me regaining my memory increase if I go back to my normal routine. How exactly am I supposed to do that?”

“Well, I think I’ll have to leave you both alone to talk about it. Like I said, you have people there for you. It won’t be easy but, your loved ones can help you. You just need to be willing to lean on them.” He glances from him to Regina, conveying his message clearly. “I’ll give you some space and come back in a few hours to check on you.” 

Both he and the woman next to him- his wife, apparently- watch as the doctors walk out of the room and shut the door behind them. Then, he turns. Now or never. “I feel as though I’m at a bit of a disadvantage,” he tries to joke. “You knew my name before I did and I’ve yet to learn yours. Or, re-learn, I suppose.”

She lets out a dry laugh at that. Her cheeks are streaked and red, eyes puffy but, the laugh she lets out seems to brighten up her face. “Yes, sorry. I’m Regina.” She pauses, like she’s thinking about it, then holds her hand out to him.

He takes it without hesitation. “Regina..” Her name sounds right leaving his lips. He doesn’t let go of her hand. Instead, he drags his thumb across the back of it lightly, smiling up at her. “A name befitting a queen.” The moment he says it, his eyebrows shoot up. “I don’t know how I know that. I guess he was right about my semantic memory being in tact.” 

Again, she laughs, this time much more relaxed. “You just brought me back to the first time we met.” He gives her a look, urging her to explain more. She finally lets go of his hand , turning away and grabbing the chair to pull it closer to the bed. As soon as she sits down in it, she reaches out and locks her fingers back in his, ready to tell him a piece of their story.


	2. Chapter 2

_She was late and, she hates being late. Parent-teacher conference week was always the worst. With longer hours and the added stress, her week was chaos. She’d slept right through her alarm and, when she woke up, it was thirty minutes later than her usual time. She’d barely slept and was stumbling around in the morning to get ready in time. She didn’t have time to straighten her hair so, she was forced to leave it in it’s natural curls, throwing a bunch of product in it and hoping that it would hold for the day. Then, her coffee maker broke. There was no way she was going to make it through the day ahead of her without coffee. So, she rushed out of her apartment, praying she’d have time to stop at Granny’s before work. She made it just in time. She’d finally had a moment of relief when she was handed her steaming cup of coffee and turned to walk to her car. She’d made up time, she still wasn’t going to be at work at the time she liked to be but, at least she wasn’t going to be late. The moment the warm liquid washed down her throat, it sent a shiver down her spine and she let out an appreciative moan. Glancing down at her watch as she walked toward the door, she smiled. For the first time since she woke up in the morning, she felt a little semblance of relaxation. One last day and then she’d have the weekend to recuperate. Then, as she stepped over the little ledge in the doorway to walk out, she tripped. It was more of a stumble than anything and, had there not been steps right there, she probably would’ve been able to steady herself with no problem. But, there were steps and, for a split second, she thought that she was going to face plant right there in front of Granny’s Diner. But, out of nowhere, a strong arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her up. She didn’t even turn to face the source of the arm right away, after she steadied herself, she groaned. Then, when she felt a weight around her waist still, her eyebrows shot up. When she turned to face him, he dropped his arm, giving her a sheepish look. Tucking a curly strand behind her ear, she looked away from his piercing blue eyes. “Uh, thank you. For, that.” For the first time since her little stumble, she realized that her coffee was gone, the majority of it covering her clothes. “Shit.”_

_“I’m sorry I was unable to avoid that.” He gestures to her white blouse, covered in dark brown coffee. She doesn’t answer, just turns away from him and mutters a few more choice words. “I have an extra button down in my car. It’ll be a little big on you but, I can tell you’re in a rush….” He doesn’t wait for her to answer him, just walks off toward his car. She can see him from where she stands. She watches as he pulls out a duffle bag and shuffles through it. He nice, this stranger. Normally, she would brush him off, thank him for helping and just leave but, there’s something about him. A moment later, he jogs back over to her. “Here, take it.” She tries to decline but, he’s persistent, holding out his hand to her instead of taking the garment back. “I’m Robin.”_

_She gives him a skeptical look, shaking his hand quickly. His hand is warm, calloused. “Regina.” Unfolding the shirt and holding it up to see how large it is, she smirks. She could make this work and, it’s rude to tell him no when he obviously cares and wants her to have it._

_“Regina? That’s a name befitting a queen.”_

_She practically snorts at that, draping the shirt over her arm and crossing them over her chest. “Seriously? Does that line work for you?” Her eyes meet his and she can see them sparkle. Briefly, she forgets that she’s late and now, she needs to change, too._

_His hands go into into his pockets as his shoulders shrug. A smirk plays at his lips. “I’ve never used it before so, you tell me.”_

_Tilting her head a little, she smiles. Giving him a sly once over, she decides that yes, she does like him. Cheesy as that line may have been, his kindness has affected her and, he’s pretty attractive. Scratch that, he’s very attractive. Not that she will be admitting that to him. She looks down at her watch one more time and sighs, “I’ll have to get back to you on that. I’m late and, I need to clean myself up before work. Thank you again for your help. And, for your shirt.” She turns to walk away, leaving him behind but, when he doesn’t call after her or follow, her brows knit in confusion. She glances back to find him watching her walk away and she grins. He has the decency to look caught, at least. “Are you coming?” She continues to walk away, not waiting for him to respond or follow. She knows he will._

_He follows her to the drivers side of her car and manages to reach for the handle first to open it for her. She smiles again and climbs in. “I’m honored for the invitation but, I’m afraid I can’t accompany you to work Milady.” He jokes and she actually laughs._

_“I wasn’t asking you too. My job doesn’t take kindly to strangers in the building,” she winks. “I just thought you might want my information so, you know, you can get your shirt back.... but, if you’d rather-“_

_“No.” He pauses, wincing at his lack of subtlety. “I mean, yes. I’d love your number.”_

_She lets out a soft laugh, as she watches him take his phone out of his pocket. “Turn around.” His eyes are full of confusion though, he listens, turning his back to the car door. Quickly, she pulls her blouse over her head and buttons his shirt in its place. It’s rather large on her but not because he’s large. It’s because she’s so small. It’ll work, though. She reads him out her number as she does the buttons and, once she’s all covered again, she slides back out of the car. He’s still standing in the doorway, blocking her a little so, she has to brace herself on him just a tad, he hands on his back as she maneuvers around him. He turns when he feels her hands on his back and his smile is immediate. She must look ridiculous in his over-sized shirt and a tight pencil skirt. She doesn’t say anything, just unzips the black garment slightly and tucks in as much or the shirt as she can. She can feel his eyes on her as she does. It’s not ideal but, it works. Now, her only problem are the sleeves. Meeting his eyes for the first time since she climbed out of the car, she smiles. “Do you mind?” She holds her arms out to him. He fumbles slightly with his phone. Once it’s tucked away safely in his pocket again, he reaches out and slowly rolls up each sleeve of her shirt. He takes his time, letting his fingers ghost over the soft skin on her arm. momentarily, she gets lost in his eyes, then she’s mesmerized by the way his hands slowly move up her arms, working diligently at his task. As soon as he’s done and his hands fall back to his side, she shakes her head to break herself out of her trance. The time on her wrist doesn’t go unnoticed. “Now, I really am late. Thank you again, I promise I’ll get this back to you.” Without another word, she climbs into her car._

_The last thing she hears as he closes the door for her and smiles is, “It was nice to meet you, Regina.”_

_________

Robin chuckles, “I’m guessing I got that shirt back, then?”

He can see her cheeks turn a little red as she quickly looks down at their hands. “Yes and no.” She smirks, then. “I did give it back but, every time I..uh… stayed at your place after that, I took it back. I still wear it all the time but, not in public.”

Nodding his head, he smiles. He’s not sure why that thought is endearing to him. It’s a lot to take in and, it should be a little much to process but, he’s not disappointed. He couldn’t imagine waking up in this state only to find out what a disappointment your life was. He seems to have a good life. “So, one tiny interaction and somehow, we ended up married? I think you’ve left out a large portion of the story.” 

She shakes her head at him and laughs, “That obviously isn’t the full story, no. It’s much, much longer than that. I just thought that maybe you had some questions I could answer first.”

“How about this? You give me a quick, spark-notes version of who I am. No longer than five minutes. Then, the rest, I learn as we go. And, you tell me the rest of our story. I have to know how I managed to end up with such a beautiful woman.”

Biting her lip, she smirks. “Some things never change. You’re flirting and you don’t even know me.”

“Oh, but I do. I just don’t remember you. There’s a difference.” When she just gives him a look, he sighs. He manages to sit up a little bit and turn his hand in hers to rub soft circles around her palm. “Look, I know this has to be difficult for you. I can’t lie. I don’t remember you but, I feel a connection. My mind is telling me to run, to get away from a commitment I have no recollection of making. My body and my heart, however, are drawn to you. It’s confusing the hell out of me so, please, help me make sense of it. Tell me how we ended up together.” He see’s her reluctance fading and a few tears stream down her face. “But first, maybe tell me how old I am?”

That manages to bring a dry laugh out of her and he smiles. He must still know a part of her if he’s able to break down her walls so easily. She tells him the basics, where he’s from, his age and birthday, where he went to school, what he does for a living. He doesn’t say much while she talks, just listens intently. It’s a shock to him that nothing she says is particularly hard to believe. He simply absorbs it, somehow knowing that it is, in fact, who he is. He hasn’t had a chance to look in the mirror yet so, when she tells him he’s only thirty-eight years old, he lets out a sigh of relief. At least he’s not too old. Not that he should be shocked by that, either. They’re married after all and a beautiful woman like her surely wouldn’t be married to an old man. Hours tick by and they just talk. He feels like he’s on a first date except, he’s the only one asking the questions. He asks about him, sure but, after about half an hour, he starts asking about her. She doesn’t seem to mind. He throws in some flirty comments and she takes it like a champ, not commenting on them. Eventually, he grows just a tad more serious, asking more personal questions about them, more specific things. There’s a break in conversation and he takes a deep breath, “Regina? How long have we been together?”

Her smile grows sad, probably because that question has brought them back to reality. Joking and flirting aside, he doesn’t know who she is. “Ten years. We’ve been together ten years.” She looks away and takes a deep breath, obviously trying to compose herself and he can tell she has something else to say.

“What is it?”

“Our family, it isn’t just you and me.” She pulls her hand from his and stands up, walking over to her purse and digging inside to get her phone. “We have two sons.” Instead of sitting back in the chair, she sits next to him on the bed, handing him her phone. 

“I… We.. have children?” He takes the phone from her hand and looks at the screen, at a picture of two little boys. “They’re absolutely adorable.” His hands are a bit shaky as a few tears escape the corners of his eyes. “What are their names? Can I see more pictures?”

She starts crying too. “Of course.” She gently takes the phone from his hand and scrolls through it. “They actually have recorded a video for you every morning for the past week and made me promise to show you when you woke up.” She pulls up the video her sister sent over this morning and hands him back the phone. Pointing to the screen, she smiles, “That’s Henry, he’s eight. And, that’s Roland. He turns four next month.” She gives him a moment of silence to watch the video and take in the news. Henry is on the screen smiling, waving the phone around and telling Robin that he and Roland are doing fine and they just want him to get better. Roland pops his head in the screen and blows a kiss. The last thing that’s heard before the video ends is Roland screaming that he loves his daddy. He clicks the button and watches the screen go dark. She gently pulls the phone out of his hand. “We named Henry after my father and Roland after your grandfather.” Climbing off of the bed, she walks over to the counter and grabs his phone. “Here,” She hands it over. “This is yours. It’s full of plenty of pictures and videos. We have a shared album that we upload to and all the ones the boys made you over the last week are in there, too.” He takes the device from her and watches the screen come to life. The picture on the front makes his heart beat wildly in his chest. It’s them, all of them. If he had to guess, he’d say they were at a park. His younger son has a huge smile on his face as he sits on his fathers shoulders and his wife, she’s squeezing their older boy. By the looks of it, she must’ve been tickling Henry. They’re all laughing and it’s a candid shot, it’s beautiful. He wishes he could remember it. “That was a good day.” She must be able to tell what he’s thinking because, she quick to explain it to him. “This was taken last year, on the first day of summer vacation for Henry. We had taken Roland out of pre-school early so that he could go to Henry’s award ceremony with us. Our little boy won so many awards. He had the highest reading level in all of second grade, he was the best helper, everyone’s friend, and the chief leader. We were so proud so, we took them to celebrate. Right before that picture was taken, we got the boys ice cream. Roland’s face was covered in chocolate and he decided that I deserved a kiss. You thought it was a great idea so, you threw him on your shoulders and started chasing me. Henry tried to help me escape but, it didn’t work. You caught me and Roland managed to smear chocolate all over my cheek. You and Henry thought it was hilarious so, I grabbed Henry and started tickling him, rubbing my cheek all over him while you and Roland laughed.” She smiles, “We were all a sticky mess and you practically fell on the floor right after that when Henry and I turned on you. There was a sweet girl walking her dog in the park and she saw the whole thing. She came up to us and told us that she was a photography student and she couldn’t help but snap a picture of our beautiful family. She sent it to me and we hired her a few weeks later to take family pictures. Now, she babysits for us every Friday for date night. ”

“That sounds like it was a perfect day.” He pauses and grows a little sad. “I’m glad she captured this picture, it helps me imagine it.” He’s momentarily lost in thought. It’s a bit much to process, knowing that he has this family but not actually having any memories associated with them. He really hopes he remembers soon. “Can I meet…I mean.., uh.. see them?”

There isn’t even a moment of hesitation before she answers. “Of course.” Glancing down at her watch, she smiles. “I’ll have to talk to them about all of this, I’d hate for them to overwhelm you. I planned on going over tonight or very early tomorrow morning to send them off to school. It’s pretty late already…I think I’ll just go in the morning and talk to them then, they can play hooky for one day.”

He nods. “Whatever you think is best. Where are they now?”

“They’re staying with my sister, Zelena. I had them here the first night but, Roland wanted to sleep with you and didn’t understand why he couldn’t. They were here all day Saturday, Henry insisted that it’d help to talk to you. I’ve been going back and forth every night or morning to see them and then spending the rest of my time here.” She hesitates, “Do you want me to give you some time alone? I can go now and come back with them tomorrow if you’d like.”

“No.” He pauses, “Unless you want to go?” She tells him no, that she’d very much like to stay, just in case he has any more questions. “I have so many. First, what’s my passcode to this?” He holds his phone in the air and chuckles. 

She laughs, “It’s the anniversary of the first time we kissed. You’re cheesy that way.” They both laugh and she moves to sit back on the bed next to him. “November twenty-third.” 

It’s odd, how comfortable she seems to be with him. He has to remind himself that she still has her memories and, to her, he’s her loving husband. He types the code into his phone and is immediately captivated by his pictures. She doesn’t say anything, just lays down next to him and watches as he flips through all their memories. Occasionally, she’ll throw in a little anecdote about a certain picture but, for the most part, she just lets him explore them. They talk for hours after that. It’s not until after three in the morning that he dozes off. She changes into some pajama pants and a tank top, makes up her little bed in the corner, and brushes her teeth. Right before she lays down, she walks back over to him and runs her hand along his cheek gently. Then, she kisses it. Quietly, she cries herself to sleep, praying that he remembers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt 30: Summer Vacation  
> Prompt 36: Spilled Coffee  
> Prompt 48: One of them falling and the other helping


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day three: OQ Prompt party entry. Prompts used will be listed at the end of the chapter:)

She leaves before he wakes up. Her house is a little over an hour away and she has to make it there before the boys wake up for school so she can talk to Zelena. She knows her sister is going to have some questions and she’d prefer not to have little ears listening in. Her exhaustion must be clear on her face because it’s the first thing her sister comments on when she opens the door, she hadn’t even had time to unlock it herself.

Zelena is wearing pj’s and a robe, holding a steaming cup of coffee when she pulls open the door. She knows that her sister likes some quiet when she first wakes up so, it isn’t a surprise that she’s up before the boys. The moment the red-head lays her eyes on her, she hands over that fresh cup of coffee without a word. Regina follows her into the kitchen and plops down at the counter while her sister busies herself with making another cup. She’s incredibly thankful for her sister not only for watching the boys but, for always knowing exactly what she needs and being willing to give it. Especially now, she lets out a long and relieved sigh when she takes her first sip of the warm liquid. She hasn’t slept much in the past week and she’s emotionally drained from the events of the day before. Zelena doesn’t push her, just sits down next to her and waits for her to be ready to talk. Just another thing to add to the list of things she’s thankful for. “He doesn’t remember anything. I know he’s struggling a little bit but, he seems to be doing pretty well, at least. We spent hours yesterday just talking.”

Her sister nods, “Talking about what?”

She shrugs her shoulders and takes a sip from the mug. “Everything. He didn’t even know his own name so, I spent some time just telling him who he was. You know, birthday, family, friends. Things like that. Then, he had lots of questions about me. It was odd, answering things he’s known about me forever. Oh, and we talked about the boys, too.”

Her eyebrows shoot up. “I hadn’t even thought about that. It must’ve come as a shock to him, learning he has two sons. How did he take it?”

“Pretty well, considering. He cried a little, which was difficult to watch. I told him some stories and showed him pictures.” She smiles sadly. “He asked if he could meet them. I’m going to let them sleep in a little and then I’ll talk to them. I emailed their teachers last night and filled them in, I’m not making them go into school today.”

“That seems wise.” Zelena tilts her head curiously. “What did the doctors say?”

“Not much.” After blowing into her mug, she takes another tentative sip. “They say these things are unpredictable. They’re discharging him tomorrow but, we haven’t talked about what that means yet. Obviously, I want him to come home but, this is a lot to take in for him. I’m not sure what he’ll want.” Pausing, she considers for a minute. “And, if he does come home, the boys might be a tad overwhelming so,”

“You might need me to keep them a little longer?” Her sister smiles. “I wouldn’t say no to a few more pajama parties and blanket forts. I’ll keep them distracted. Just… Just promise you’ll let me know if you need anything else.”

Regina smiles kindly at the redhead sitting across from her. “I will,” Reaching over, she takes her hand. “Thank you so much for all your help. I know this week couldn’t have been easy for you either.” Her sister simply waves her off. She knows how much she loves her boys and, while the circumstances aren’t ideal, she’s enjoying her time with her nephews. That much is clear.

_______

The talk with the boys goes much better than expected. She tries her best to explain their fathers predicament without going too much into detail or getting too emotional. “So, daddy’s up. He’s awake and excited to see you two but, he’s still not all better and the doctors say that it might take a while to remember things.”

Roland doesn’t hear much past the fact that his father is awake. He bounces excitedly in his chair, begging to go see him right away. Henry, however, isn’t that easily appeased. He’s a smart kid and he knows there’s more to it. She can tell he’s thinking very hard before he asks, “Remember what?”

She leans forward and grabs his hand in hers. “Well, he hit his head pretty hard in the accident baby. He can’t remember anything right now so, we just have to be patient. But, we talked about you boys last night and I showed him the video you made. He’s looking forward to seeing you.” She successfully avoids any more questions by distracting the two with chocolate chip pancakes, entirely too much whipped creme, and the news that they get to miss school today. 

Roland is a hyper little bundle so early in the morning, a symptom of the sugary breakfast, she’s sure. “Mama, can we make cookies for Papa? Your cookies always make me feel better when I’m sick.” 

“Oh, honey… That’s such a good idea but, I don’t think we have all the stuff-“

“We do have the stuff, mom.” Henry speaks up after swallowing the last bit of his pancake. “We made some with Aunt Zelena a few days ago. But we forgot to use your secret ingredient so, they weren’t as good.” 

Standing up, she walks around the table and puts an arm around each of her boys shoulders. “Well that just won’t do. I suppose we have to make some more, then.” Both boys giggle. Making cookies with a four year olds help, isn’t particularly easy. It puts them a little behind schedule so, when they do get in the car, she gives him a call. It rings only twice before he answers. It’s good to hear his voice, he sounds good. She apologizes for leaving before he woke up and tells him that they are on their way and should be there in about an hour. 

When they get to the hospital, she pauses at his door. A moment of hesitation is followed by her deciding to have to boys wait just another minute. She thinks it’ll be best if she goes in first. Just to check on him. So, a nice nurse occupies her kiddos, teaching them to play a little game with their fingers as she sneaks into his room. He’s sitting up in bed and looks much better than he had the day before. There’s a tray next to him. He must’ve eaten and, that good. He hadn’t had an appetite yesterday. He smiles at her when she walks in. Walking straight toward the bed, she reaches out and grabs his hand. “Hi.”

“Good morning.” He’s grinning and his dimples are on full display. It’s been a full week since she’s seen those dimples and she itches to fun her hand over his cheek and feel them. They always did make her a little weak in the knees. 

“You seem to be feeling much better.” She asks him if any memories have come back since last night and he tells her no. She’d had a little sliver of hope in her chest when she walked in and saw him smiling like he was. Biting her lip, she glances at the door. “You up for some visitors?”

“My children? Of course.”

She grins at that. Still, without his memories, his face lights up at the mere mention of his kids. “They’re right outside. I told them that you don’t remember anything and that the doctors say it could take a while to gain it back. I don’t want to tell them there was a possibility you might not. For now, let’s just see how it goes.” Pausing, she squeezes his hand. “If they become too much, just give me a look. I’ll make an excuse to leave.”

“It won’t be a problem.” He looks from her to the door. “I watched every single video of them this morning and looked through all of my pictures. Plus, the doctor says that my normal routine is what will help and, they’re obviously a big part of that. feel like I know them already.”

It irks her and she bites back the urge to scream out and tell him that he does already know them. She wishes there was a way to magically fix this whole situation. She misses her husband, misses the way he always looked at her with a spark in his eye. Turning, she walks toward the door and peaks her head out, “Boys, he’s ready to see you.” 

 

_______

He sees his younger son emerge first, followed directly by Henry. Both call out to him right away, though they use two different titles. Rolands excited, Papa, melts his heart. For a moment, he thinks he’s about to run toward him and he braces himself for impact but, Regina grabs his hand and pulls him back toward her. He watches as she kneels down to his level, “Roland, sweetie, remember that Papa is still hurting. You need to be gentle.”

It’s comical, the way the little boy nods his head so hard. He walks to the side of his bed and stands on his tippy toes. “I’m sorry I almost hurted you, Papa.”

He doesn’t have the heart to correct him. “That’s alright, buddy.” Glancing up, he locks eyes with Henry. “Hello, Henry.”

Henry’s eyes light up immediately as he lets go of his mother’s hand and walks over to Robins side. He slowly bends to hug his father, careful not to hurt him. “Hi dad!” He can see Regina’s eyes searching his over Henry’s shoulder. She’s trying to make sure he’s not uncomfortable, he can tell. He’s not and he does his best to convey that to her through his look. It takes a little effort but, he’s able to wrap an arm around his son. Not long later, Roland has wiggled his way up onto the bed, sitting criss cross next to him as they tell him stories. They’re both incredibly sweet. Learning he had two kids wasn’t easy but, he doesn’t think he could’ve had two better ones than the boys sitting next to him. 

They spend the next few hours talking. He can’t help but smile with the way Henry tells him stories and Rolands little giggles. He’d obviously love to have his memories back sooner than later but, he’s quite enjoying re-living these times through the eyes of his children. They’re great kids. Well rounded and polite. He’d like to think he’s a good dad and, hiding by these stories, he’d say he is but he just knows that she’s an incredible mom. With the way she talks to the boys, the way she watches them with a smile always on her face. They’re lucky kids. 

She leaves to take the boys to get some lunch and let him rest. He’s sad to see them go but, he is tired. When they come back, he’s refreshed, having gotten in an hour nap and eaten some lunch himself. The doctors help him sit further up and bring a board game in. Henry requested Clue, saying it’s his fathers favorite. They have to explain it to him again, of course but, he still wins. Then, his boys curl up on the bed with him to watch a movie. About half way through, Roland pops his head up excitedly and looks toward his mother. “Mama!! We forgot to give papa the cookies!”

Regina smiles and reaches for her duffel bag. “You’re right Ro. Would you like one?” She looks at him when she asks that and he tilts his head in confusion. She pulls a container out of the bag and walks over to him. “They’re your favorite. Chocolate chip with my special ingredient.”

“Yeah, Roland thought they might make you feel better so we made them fresh this morning!” Henry reaches out for the container and pulls it from her hands. “Moms cookies are the best!”

He chuckles, “Well, that’s very sweet of you two. I’d love one.”

Rolands little hand reaches out to take one and hands it over to him. Then, he turns to ask his mother if he can have one too. She tells him yes but, only one because she doesn’t want him to spoil his dinner. He nods his head and grabs one for himself. “The secret ingredient is cinnnaminamin.” He puts his finger up to his mouth to emphasize the fact that it’s a big secret.

Both he and Regina laugh at that. “He’s always had trouble with that word.”

Robin nods. “It’s cute.” Then, he takes a bite of the cookie and moans. “Holy cow that’s good.”

“Mama says you aren’t allowed in the kitchen while she cooks them anymore.” Roland states, taking another bite of his cookie.

His eyebrows go up and he glances at his wife, who smirks. “Really? And, why is that?”

Henry beats her to the punch, answering first. “Because you always distract her and steal the cookie dough.” Regina shrugs her shoulders and nods, telling him that it’t true. They tell some more stories while the rest of the movie plays on the screen. Less than an hour later, her sister drops by to pick up the boys and take them back home. He promises to see them again in a few days and soaks up their hugs before they leave. Regina doesn’t leave with them. 

_______

The doctors are letting him leave tomorrow but, they’ve yet to discuss what will happen, then. They keep stressing that he needs to go back to his normal routine, though she has no idea how that’ll be possible for him. Later the night, they talk about it. He has questions. At first, they’re mostly about the boys. Then, when it becomes un-avoidable, they decide it’s time to discuss plans. He asks her what his usual day consists of and she does her best to explain. “You’re a consultant to major businesses looking to use more eco-friendly production techniques. Usually, you go into the office on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday but work from home the other two days.”

He considers the information for a moment. “Can you walk me through my day?”

Pulling up a chair, she plops down in it and sighs. “You take a shower every morning and most nights, too. You say it helps you wake up in the morning and you hate going to bed feeling dirty. Usually, your alarm goes off at six but you don’t actually get up until six thirty. Then, you drink a cup of coffee and take a protein bar to go. At least on the days you go in to the office. You almost always beat me home and we try our best to make dinner as a family. Thursdays are pizza nights and Fridays are our date nights.”

Nodding his head, he smiles. “So, I’m not expected to go into work tomorrow since it’s Thursday and, it’s pizza night? That sounds like a perfect first day back home. What about the boys?”

“They go to the school I work at so, I usually take them to and from with me. Unless I have a late day, in which case you or Tink would come get them. And, as far as work goes, your right hand man and best friend, John, has been handling everything. You’re not expected back until you’re fully recovered.” Crossing her legs, she leans back in the chair. “I think the most important thing we need to worry about is what you want to do tomorrow. Obviously, you’re welcome at home but, we’d understand if you don’t feel comfortable yet…” She trails off, frowning slightly. “We have a guest room that you could use until you… gain your memories back or get more comfortable around me. But, if you’d rather-“

“No, that sounds perfect.” She can see him hesitate before he reaches his hand out to her. She has to move forward a little to take it. “I’m sorry, I know this has to be extremely hard for you. Thank you for being so patient.” 

He gives her a sad smile and she has no words, she can feel the sting of tears prickling in her eyes and she’s afraid that, if she tries to respond, she’ll lose it. So, she just nods her head slightly. He changes the topic to something a bit lighter when he asks her to tell the story of their first date. It takes her a minute to compose herself but, once she does, the story rolls right off her tongue. 

“In the span of a week after you gave me your shirt, we talked a lot. We made a plan to meet up so that I could give you back your shirt but, I had a horrible day and called to cancel. My father had a heart attack. He was alright but, they’d told us that he wasn’t doing well and, naturally, I was upset. I’d made plans to fly out the next day. You came over to talk and ended up spending hours just listening. We fell asleep and you took me to the airport the next morning.” Standing up, she walks over to her duffle and pulls out her pajamas before walking into the bathroom and continuing her story from there. “I wanted you to ask me out but, I think you were too afraid with all that I was dealing with. So, we became friends. My sister and I got my father into an assisted living facility and he was doing much better. One night, you came over for a movie night. I could tell something was up when you went to leave. It was about a month after we first met and you finally asked me out. I, of course, said yes.” She emerges from the bathroom wearing long pajama pants and his blue shirt. It’s old and worn but, it suits her. “You showed up early to pick me up for our date the next night. I left the door unlocked for you and told you I would be ready in a minute, I just had to finish putting on my makeup. You peaked your head in my room to ask me where to put the flowers you brought and you just stood there. It was cute, how you stared.”

He chuckles. “What were you wearing?” She gives him an amused look when he asks his question and he rolls his eyes playfully. “I’m just trying to imagine it!”

“A navy blue, fitted dress and black pumps. It was definitely one of my best outfits.” She smiles. “We went to dinner and you took me for a walk along the beach as the sun was going down. You were a perfect gentleman. You even held my heels when we took our little stroll in the sand.”

“I’d imagine it can’t be easy to walk in those.” He smiles.

“Definitely not.” Her smile grows wistful. “That was our first date of many and it’s still one of my favorites.”

“I’m glad.” He looks her up and down while she sits, lost in a memory she isn’t sharing. “Is that the shirt?”

“Hmm?” She looks down and then back up to meet his eyes. “Oh, yes.. it is. I grabbed some fresh clothes from home. I also got you a few things.”

He sits up a little, “You wouldn’t happen to have brought another pair of Pjs for me would you?” She nods and tells him she has. “Well, in that case, I would absolutely love a shower. Would you mind helping me up or calling the nurse?”

“Of course not.” She’s fast to stand up, quickly moving some of the pillows at his side and pulling the blanket back. He’s got a sling on one arm, so she holds his other hand and helps to slowly pull him up. He’s only been out of bed a few times in the last day to use the bathroom so, his legs are a little wobbly but he manages without putting too much weight on her. She helps him into the bathroom and turns the water on for him. “Is there anything else you need?”

He looks a little sheepish, slightly embarrassed even. “I think I can manage everything except for my shirt. Doctor says I’m not supposed to move this shoulder at all yet.”

Walking behind him, she unclasps the sling and pulls it off his arm slowly, careful not to move it. Then, she meticulously moves his shirt up his chest, first putting his good arm through. She pulls it over his head and slides it off his injured arm with the same precision as she did with the sling. Once the shirt is completely gone, she drapes it over her arm, looking at his fully exposed chest. He’s got quite a few stitches on his shoulder from the surgery but, it’s covered with a bandage. Aside from that, a few scratches, and minor seatbelt burns, he still looks the same. She can’t help it, her hand moves up instinctively to run over some of the scratches. She’s only brought back to reality when he lets out a shaky breath at the contact. The moment is a little too intimate and she has to remind herself that no matter how badly she wants to, she can’t kiss him. Not yet. Shaking her head to break her out of her daze, she lets her hand fall back to her side. “I’m sorry.”

“No reason to apologize.” He winks. “Thank you for your help. I think I can manage the rest of my clothes.” 

He jokes, causing a slight blush to rise on her cheeks. “Sure. I’ll come in and put some fresh clothes on the counter in a few minutes.” She doesn’t wait for a response, just turns and walks out of the bathroom, shutting the door behind her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt 34: One of them gets injured and the other has to take care of them.  
> Prompt 49: Regina almost losing a loved one and Robin tries to comfort them  
> Prompt 71: Regina and Robin take a walk on the beach at sundown  
> Prompt 117: OQ modern day AU with no magic
> 
> Go follow me on twitter for a sneak peak at chapter 4:)


	4. Chapter 4

The next morning, Robin is discharged from the hospital. The boys are already at school when they get home and Zelena is gone. She helps Robin inside and gives him a tour, including the guest room that they’ve decided he’s going to stay in for the time being. She leaves him with a pair of sweat pants and a t-shirt in his room so that he can change out of his pajamas from last night and tells him to call out if he needs anything. She’s restless. Completely exhausted and yet, she can’t sit still. First, she cleans the entire kitchen, not that it was even messy to begin with. Then she takes all the blankets that are folded in the living room and throws them in the wash. They aren’t even dirty, she’s just stressed and needs something to do.

About an hour goes by before he emerges from the room in just the sweatpants she’d left. “I managed to get my shirt off but, I couldn’t get a new one on.” He rubs the back of his neck nervously. 

Putting the basket of laundry down on the couch, she smiles. “Would you like some help?” 

He shakes his head. “Nah, I’m comfortable like this for now, thank you.” He looks around at their house then, taking in details he didn’t pay attention to when he first walked in. “Are the boys coming here tonight?”

“Yes. I figured it was best to have them here for pizza night. You know, keeping your routine as close to normal as possible. Tomorrow night, though, they’re staying with Tink. It’ll be fun for them and it’ll give you some more time to settle in without them home all day.” She’s creating a pile of his things, separating them from hers as she folds. “I’m going to go into work tomorrow. I’ve been out for almost a week and a half. But, they have a sub on standby so if you need anything at all you can just call and...”

“I’ll be fine, I’m sure.” He walks over and reaches into the basket, pulling out a shirt and folding it. “So, the boys are going home with the babysitter right after school?”

“That’s up to you. I will probably have to stay a little later tomorrow to catch up so, they can go home with Tink or she can bring them here for a few hours and I’ll drop them off with her later in the evening.” She smiles softly at him, an unspoken thank you for helping her fold laundry despite the state he’s in. “I’m sure they’d love to spend the time with you but they can be a bit of a handful so-“

“I’d love to have them. You trust me alone with them?” 

He looks shocked and she’s confused. “Why wouldn’t I?” She hadn’t even thought about that insecurity. “The fact that you don’t have your memories, doesn’t make you and less their father. Plus, it’ll help, to have some alone time. Maybe it’ll jog something.”

He reaches out and grabs her hand, then. “Thank you, that means a lot.”

She just squeezes his fingers and smiles in return. Bending down, she gently places the piles of folded clothes back in the basket. “Come on, let me show you where all your stuff is.” He follows her to their room, pausing in the doorway. She follows his eyesight to the large wedding photo on the wall and smiles but, chooses not to comment on it. “All of your nicer clothes are hung up on the left side of the closet. That door, there,” She points to the door in the corner then walks over to the dresser. “The four right drawers are filled with my things and the rest are yours. That’s where you’ll find all of your t-shirts, pajamas, sweats, and boxers.” She hesitates, smirking. “Well, most of your t-shirts. I’ve stolen a few.”

He chuckles. “Good to know.” He looks over at the bed, then back to her. “Which side do I usually sleep on?”

“That side,” she points. 

He hums in acknowledgement and just takes some time looking around. Under his pillow, he finds a folded up shirt and pulls it out. He fiddles with it as he asks, “Should I take some of my things to the other room?”

The question stabs at her a little and she can’t help but answer honestly. “You can, if you’d like but, I’d prefer you didn’t.” Taking a deep breath, she manages to hold back the tears. “I think it’d feel empty if you did, like I’m losing you for good.” She plops down on her side of the bed and let’s her head fall down to her hands. She’s been so strong, she’s been so good at holding it together in front of him but, this breaks her. 

He’s quick to join her, placing a comforting hand on her back. “It can stay. It’s not a far walk for me to come get clothes.” He tried to lighten the mood but, this time, it doesn’t work. “I’m sorry.”

“This isn’t your fault.” She lets out and he assures her that it isn’t hers either. She looks up to find him holding that shirt he’d found tightly in his hands. He looks like he wants to say something else but is holding back. She won’t have that. It’s hard for her, yes. But, it’s also hard for him and he shouldn’t be trying to protect her. If there’s any chance of him gaining back his memories, he has to ask questions. “What?”

There’s a skeptical look on his face for a minute before he hold up the item of clothing he’s got tucked in his hand. “This smells... familiar.” Oh, that’s good. Familiar is good, it’s something at least. She carefully pulls it from his hand and puts it up to her nose, taking in the smell. It’s her perfume. The tears immediately fall again. “I’m.. I’m sorry. Did I-“

“No, no.” Wiping at her eyes, she does her best to smile at him. “It’s just, that smell, it’s my special perfume, your favorite of mine.” She has to force herself to take a deep breath. In and out. “The night before your accident, we went out to dinner with the boys. When we got home, you insisted on a slow dance in the living room after we changed into our pajamas and put the kids to bed. That’s probably why it smells so much like me.” Handing it back over to him, she watches him breathe in the smell. “You might be starting to remember.”

“God, I hope so.”

————-

He’s not entirely sure what to do when she leaves to pick up the kids from school. He knows it’s his home but, he feels like a guest. Like he’s snooping when he looks at the picture frames or opens a cabinet in the kitchen. It’s silly and yet, he can’t help it. So, he just sits there on the couch and stares at a blank tv screen while he waits. 

As soon as they walk in the door, he’s greeted with two careful yet, enthusiastic hugs. Apparently their boys are happy he’s home. They have a re-match of Clue while they wait for their pizza and then, they decide to play a game of Blokous while they eat. It’s very domestic, very relaxed. It isn’t until bed time that he feels even a little bit of stress. Roland begged for his daddy to put him to bed. Regina tried to tell him no, not tonight but, he insisted that he could handle bedtime with his son. He just didn’t realize what a chore that really was. To be fair, Regina warned him. She’d whispered to him saying that putting Roland to bed was no easy feat and that usually, they took turns. He brushed her off, thinking that there’s no way putting a four year old to bed could be that difficult. He was wrong. 

Roland has to take a bath most nights. He’s a messy kid and almost always comes home covered in marker or some other unknown substance. And, his curly hair holds the sand from the playground at pre-school. That curly mop is incredibly difficult to wash and Roland isn’t particularly fond of that part of bath time, either. Then there’s the mess. He swears that there’s more water outside of the tub than there is inside by the time they’re done. Brushing through his hair, that’s a whole other debacle. Then, once he’s got him all clean, hair and teeth brushed, and pajamas on, it’s time to read him a few books. He gets three each night. The first one he chooses, he says is Robin’s favorite. He doesn’t recognize it in the slightest but, he’s more than happy to sit down and read it. 

“Hooray for Diffendoofer Day,” 

Delving into the story, a smile creeps onto his face. It’s a cute book with lots of funny words and, the fact that Roland says the word with him, makes him smile even more. This is obviously a routine. Bedtime with his son and this particular book. About half way through it, he realizes that his eyes are more scanning the pages than reading them. He tests it by turning the next page and not looking at the words but, they leave his mouth nonetheless. He may not remember this book yet, it’s somewhere in his mind and that’s a good sign, isn’t it? 

Once Roland is finally asleep, he heads downstairs for some water. Henry is already in bed and Regina is sitting at the counter on her computer. She’s in her pajamas, hair pulled up, though most of it is falling out of her bun. Only when he rounds the island does he see her dark rimmed glasses. They frame her face well and make her look impossibly cuter. 

He doesn’t tell her about the feeling he had when reading Roland his bedtime story. He doesn’t want to get her hopes up. So, they sit and talk for a little while before they say goodnight. A few minutes after she shuts the bedroom door behind her, he realizes that his toothbrush must be in their bathroom. He hadn’t taken the crappy one from the hospital. He hesitates outside the door before he knocks. She opens immediately. “I’m sorry... I think my toothbrush..”

“Oh.” She doesn’t let him finish, just pulls open the door a little wider. “It’s in the bathroom, left side sink.” 

He nods and thanks her, walking off in the direction of the bathroom. It doesn’t escape his notice that his side of the bed is completely untouched, covers still tucked in to the edge.

—————-

The next morning, he gets up with them. Apparently, he’s a light sleeper. He can hear Roland singing the ABC’s as he brushes his teeth. It isn’t the worst way to wake up in the morning and, he figured he’d should probably see them off. Regina makes them all breakfast. Eggs and pancakes. Sans the chocolate chips, much to Roland’s dismay. 

“I’m sorry, honey. Not on a school day. You get too hyper.” She walks over and kisses his forehead softly as the toddler whines. “But you get to go to Tinks tonight and you know she always makes you ice cream sundaes.”

That seems to be enough to please the kid, it has him bouncing excitedly in his chair. Henry tells him all about the latest Harry Potter book he’s reading while they eat. Regina sends them out to the car with their backpacks but lingers for a moment, looking unsure. “I.. I left you some stuff in our room. And, you’ll let me know if you need anything at all, right?”

He nods, “I will, thank you.”

She smiles, “Tink will drop the boys off here at four and I’ll bring them back to her when I get home. I shouldn’t be any later than six but I can leave at any time if you need me...”

He walks over to her and grabs her hand. “Everything will be fine. You go and focus on work for today. Don’t worry about me.” As if on instinct, he reaches up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. The moment he does it, he pulls back. She gives him a questioning look but, he doesn’t really know what to say so, he just tells her to go. That she doesn’t want to be late. She throws one last look over her shoulder before she walks out. 

It isn’t until after he finishes his coffee that he remembers she said that she left some thing on their bed for him. He walks into the room reluctantly. Even though it is technically his room, he still feels like he’s invading her space. He finds a big brown paper bag with a letter attached to it. Pulling the letter off of the bag, he opens it up to read what’s inside.

_Henry came up with a clever idea yesterday. He suggested that we leave you some stuff to do today, including some of your favorite things. Inside of the bag you’ll find your favorite books, movies, all of the seasons of your favorite tv show, and some things you enjoy snacking on. Your choice beer is also in the fridge. I hope these things help keep you entertained today. And, remember, I’m just a phone call away. Xoxo_

And, he does stay busy. He watches the movie she left first, then reads a little of the book. Later, he goes back and re-watches the movie again. It’s very very good and, he enjoyed it the first time but, he was a little confused. He makes a mental note to ask her about it. His day flies by as he re-discovers the things he loves most and he finds that he’s so thankful for her-and his son- for thinking to leave him this little care package. 

When the boys get home from school, he’s relieved. He enjoyed his day and relaxed a lot but, he missed them. He doesn’t love solitude. He’d much prefer some noise, it seems. Tink keeps her conversation light with him, wishing him well and informing him that the boys do, in fact, have some homework and not to let them talk him out of it. It both warms and hurts his heart that he has to be reminded of these things that involve his own children. 

After the homework is successfully completed, they all settle on the couch to play Mario Kart. Henry is very, very good at it. The first three times that Henry beats him, he is able to blame it on the fact that he can’t remember all the buttons. After that, he just has to admit that his eight year old is much more skilled at the game than his father. Roland seems perfectly content coming in last, just enjoying being a part of it at all. 

It’s around five thirty when they both start complaining that they’re hungry. He’s not entirely sure what he should give them so close to dinner time. Henry suggests grilled cheese. He says that he and Roland sometimes share one. It seems like a good idea. Simple enough, anyway. Henry switches the game in the Wii out to the classic sports games and runs over to hand him a remote. As soon as the grilled cheese is done and cooling, he steps around the counter and plays from the kitchen. Henry chose tennis. It’s an odd angle but, he manages. He can hear the front door open and keys plop in the bowl just as he takes a bite of his own sandwich and reaches over to cut the other in half. He’s just handed the boys their respective plates when she emerges. He and Henry are in the middle of another tennis match but, that doesn’t stop her from bending over and kissing his cheeks until he squirms.

“Mom! You just made me lose!” The kid tries to sound annoyed but, he’s giggling. She doesn’t stop at Henry, quickly moving on to Roland and giving him the same attention. He watches on and smiles at the sight, at the love in her eyes. 

After she’s done tickling and cuddling her boys, she stands back up and walks right over to him, standing up on her tippy toes and throwing an arm around his shoulders. Her fingers run through the hair on the back of his neck as she pulls him down and pecks his lips. He wasn’t expecting it at all. He can tell it’s something she does often and she hadn’t even thought about it. She’s quick to let go of him when she realizes it. Her hand falls from its spot on the back of his neck and she steps back quickly, muttering an apology. There’s no need for it. It was barely a kiss, anyway. And, it’s not like it’s a hardship, kissing her. He’d be happy to do it if it didn’t make him feel guilty.

“That’s alright....” He looks away briefly. 

“No... I, I uh didn’t think.. it was an accident.” She turns away, looking toward their boys in the living room. “It’s instinct.”

Reaching for her hand, he squeezes it softly until she looks at him. “Really, it’s ok.” He didn’t mind it at all but, clearly, she’s beating herself up over it. Needing a distraction, he looks around. He spots his plate on the counter and gestures to it. “I made them a grilled cheese to split, I hope that’s alright?”

“Of course.” 

He follows her eyes to his sandwich and quickly offers half. She doesn’t decline. Taking a small bite, she lets out a little moan. “I’ve been craving something all day and had no idea what I wanted.” She takes another bite. “It was definitely this, thank you.” 

He just smiles in return. 

 

__________

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 4: OQ Prompt Party 
> 
> Prompt 58: Rolands bedtime routine is exhausting  
> Prompt 83: An “accidental” kiss
> 
> Please let me know what you think, your comments are always appreciated!


	5. Chapter 5

Upon Henry’s request, he goes with Regina to drop the boys off with Tink. There’s an awkward minute when they get back to the house where neither of them knows exactly what to do. She excuses herself to go shower and change, saying that she needs to go shopping and he’s quick to offer to join her. They need to talk and he’d much rather go shopping with her first then sit on the couch and get lost in his head. 

She’s got a list and damned if she isn’t efficient in the store. The little piece of paper she has clutched in her hand is organized by isle and she zips through it pretty fast. He’s happy he came. The added distraction helps break the tension from earlier and he truly believes it’ll be easier to talk when they get back to the house. 

“Is there anything specific you want or need?”

He shrugs slightly, “Not particularly, no.” Then, he thinks of something, “I did use most of the cheese in the fridge, though. So, maybe we should re-stock up on that.”

She smiles. “You always did make your grilled cheeses extra-cheesy.” She grabs the last thing on the list off the shelf and swivles the cart around to head back toward dairy. “But, they’ve also always been my favorite.”

That makes him smile. “Good to know.” 

They check out and head back to the car and, without even thinking, he runs to her side to open it for her, assuring that he’s got the groceries. She’s been driving since he doesn’t quite remember where everything is and, he’s still recovering from a pretty bad head injury. The least he could do is put the groceries in the trunk for her. It’s no hardship but, she looks touched nonetheless. 

When they get home, he helps her put everything away. He needs a little direction but he manages.

“What do you want for dinner?”

Closing the spice cabinet and turning to face her, he hums in response. “I hadn’t thought about it. I don’t really know what I like?”

“Hmm...” Tapping her hand on her chin, she furrows her brows. “You like lots of things. I was thinking maybe something simple tonight. We don’t usually eat in on Fridays.”

“Oh, right. It’s date night.” He looks around for a minute, trying to think of something to say or do and then, an idea pops into his head. “Why don’twe do our date night here? We could change into Pjs, mace something simple like Mac n cheese or I can even do more grilled cheese since you live it so much...” he smiles and winks. “We can watch a movie and... talk. How does that sound?”

The laugh she lets out is more of a giggle and it’s incredibly adorable. “That actually sounds... amazing.”

“Then it’s exactly what we’ll do.” He pauses and smiles, grabbing a box of macaroni in one hand and a loaf of bread in the other. “Pick your poison.”

He can see the indecisiveness on her face as she bites her lip and contemplates. When she answers with a shrug and question of, “both?” He likes her just a little more. 

“Ah, a very wise choice, milady.” 

They both change into comfy clothes and cook together in the kitchen. She makes the macaroni and he makes the sandwiches. The familiarity of sharing this space with her doesn’t escape his notice. He’s going to get his memories back, he just knows it. 

———————

She’s missed this. In the week and a half that he’s been gone, she didn’t realize just how much their routine has been affected. Cooking dinner every night is therapeutic and she’s used to having him by her side in that endeavor. He flirts while they cook and she can tell he’s trying. It warms her heart. He’s the one who was in an accident, he’s the one who lost his memories and yet, he’s doing everything he can to comfort her. She’ll never know what she did to deserve this man. 

It feels like a date, the way he asks her questions and talks to her as the movie they chose plays idly in the background. He asks her more personal things. Details about her family and her life before they met. Its and odd feeling, being the center of attention in the conversation. She has to keep reminding herself that she already knows everything about him.

“God, this was a good idea.” She lets out a little moan as she takes another bite of her macaroni. “It’s a lot of carbs and I probably shouldn’t be eating it but, I love cheese and apparently, I’ve been really craving it today.”

“I’m glad I could help. And, the carbs won’t have any effect on you, love.” He pauses the moment he says it, the word “Love.” As if he’s not allowed to use it. 

It’s what brings her back to reality. Reaching over and grabbing his hand, she squeezes it. “I know you don’t have your memories and you feel out of place. I understand it, I do. When I... uh.. kissed you? That wasn’t right, that was taking advantage and it shouldn’t have happened. But, I have my memories and to me, you’re still my husband. Calling me love, even by accident, it’s allowed.” One tear falls down her cheek as she gives him a sad smile. “You’re not leading me on because, in my head, we’re still us. I like hearing you say that, I just don’t like seeing the regret on your face after you do.”

“It’s not regret.” He assures quickly. “I’m connected to you. I know that. I just don’t like seeing you hurt and whenever I slip up like that, it seems to ground you and to change your mood. Please, tell me how to fix that.” He knows he shouldn’t but, he scoots a little closer to her where they’re sitting on the living room floor and brings his hand to rub against her cheek. “I just want to see you smile.”

She tilts her head into his touch a little, a few more tears falling. “You’ve never had to try to make me smile. You just have that ability.”

His thumb brushes at the tears and he tilts his head a little to the side. For a split second, he contemplates kissing her. But, he doesn’t think it’s right. Not yet. He’d hate for her to think it was done out of pity. So, he lets his hand fall. “Then what do you say we talk about something else, huh? Any funny or embarrassing stories that I need to eventually re-live?”

She laughs, the tension broken. She wishes she had the same ability he has to do that. “Actually, there is one I can think of....” 

_It was still very early on. They’d only been ‘dating’ for about two weeks and had yet to discuss what they were. Too early for relationship talk but and unspoken agreement that they were something. She’d spent the night at his place for the first time on a whim. She wasn’t prepared for it, one thing just led to another. It was on a week night and she didn’t adjust the time for her alarm to give her time to run home and get ready for work. So, when she woke up, she was frantic, running around looking for her clothes, shoes, purse. He got up with her and tried to calm her, going into the kitchen to make her some coffee and a bagel to go while she showered there. She practically ran to the door once she was back dressed in her clothes from the night before. With one of his to-go coffee cups in one hand and a little bag in the other, she pulled his door open to leave. She just wasn’t prepared for people to be on the other side._

His jaw falls open. “My parents?”

Taking another bite of her food, she nods. “Mhmm.”

“I thought they lived in England?”

“They do. They were going on an anniversary cruise to the Caribbean and decided to stop in for a surprise visit before they flew out to Florida.”

Rubbing the back of his neck a little, he grins. “That couldn’t have been an easy situation.... what happened?”

“Well, we were both a little shocked. They were staring at us waiting for an introduction and, since they’re pretty conservative...”

“Conservative, how?”

She laughs. “As in, they don’t take kindly to you sharing a bed with a woman you met two weeks prior.” She tries giving him a stern look but fails, breaking out into another fit of laughs. “So, you decided to tell them that we were in a relationship.”

Robins face screw up in disbelief. “I. Did. Not.”

“Oh, you sure did.” Pausing, she reaches over to the coffee table and takes a sip of her water. “Caught me pretty off guard with that one. I was rendered speechless for a few minutes but eventually, I played along. The look your mother gave me when she first saw me in comparison to how she looked when you told her we’d been together six months, that was enough to have me go with it.”

“Six months! We were together two week and I told her six months? That could of really backfired if you dumped me.” He laughed. “I’m sure my parents never would’ve let me hear the end of it.”

“Mhmm. Luckily, it didn’t come to that.” She smiles. “I played along just fine though, at the time, I was not happy. So, we were in this fake relationship and meanwhile, neither of us knew if we were actually a thing yet.” She tells him about how she was expected to be there for dinner and how they made up this timeline of when they met. They’d kept the story the same, just changed dates around. “They stayed for three days and, the moment they were gone, you asked me if I’d be your girlfriend. You were so nervous that you’d pushed it too far, it was cute.” Pausing, she tilts her head a little at him. “You know? You parents still think we met in May, not November.” 

They both laugh at that. “Wow, we dug ourselves in pretty deep there, huh?”

“We?” She raises a perfectly manicured eyebrow at him. “I believe that was mostly you. I just went along with it. I still cringe when I think about that being the first time I met your parents. Dressed in wrinkled clothes and heels, sans makeup, messy hair and glasses. I’m surprised I ever won them over after that.”

“I’m sure they loved you.” Reaching out and grabbing her hand, “Thank you for being my pretend girlfriend before I had the balls to make it official.”

She practically snorts at that, using every ounce of her self control to not spit out the water she just sipped. “Anytime.”

They spend the rest of the evening talking and she tells him more stories. Later, she pulls out some old photo albums with photos from their wedding and baby pictures galore. Hours tick by as she relives these memories through his eyes and sees how they light up with each passing photo. It must be something, getting to experience all of the incredible moments in your life again for the first time. A blessing and a curse. 

At some point late in the night, she falls asleep on his shoulder. He’s still shifting through albums, reading every word written beneath each photo and memorizing the smiling faces. When his eyes start to grow droopy and sleep calls at him, he closes the scrapbook and sets it on the coffee table. Instead of waking her and going to their respective rooms he stays put. Knowing full well that he will be sore in the morning, he settles with his back against the couch and leans his head on hers, drifting off into a peaceful sleep. 

—————

When he wakes up, they’ve shifted. He’s laying at a very odd angle. One of his legs is dangling off the couch, his neck is crooked against the arm, and he’s half laying down-half sitting. She’s squished between his side and the back of the couch. Her head is resting on his stomach, arm around his torso, legs tangled with the one of his that’s still on the couch. He’s super uncomfortable and yet, he’s got absolutely no desire to move. She’s warm and feels safe. 

He stays there as long as he possibly can before it becomes too much. The ache in the back of his neck is itching to be relieved. Very gently, he wakes her up. Just a quiet whisper of her name. She slowly starts to wiggle and, after about a minute, she opens her eyes. They are still sleepy and her mind must be cloudy because she doesn’t sit up right away. Instead, she just moves her hand to run along his chest as she snuggles closer. She must come to her senses a moment later, she sits up, bracing herself on his chest as she does so.

She looks like she is about to apologize again and he is ready to cut her off and tell her there is no need to but, she doesn’t. She just gets up and runs her hands through her hair, looking at him a little nervously. it’s still dark out, that much is clear. She must notice it too. She glances around then, catching sight of the time on the stove in the kitchen. It’s only four in the morning, they’ve still got at least another few hours to sleep. 

“I guess we should actually go to bed.” She bites her lip, something he’s noticed her doing when she is uncomfortable. 

He tries to lighten the mood, standing up and stretching out a little. “That sounds like a very good idea. May I accompany the lady to her door?” He adds a little bow for dramatic effect and hopes it makes her relax.

It works, she laughs. “You may.” She bows back a little.

He loops his arm in hers and walks her upstairs to her-no their- bedroom. They both stop at the door and he’s not sure what to do. He’s got the sudden urge to kiss her, feels like it’s something he does every night. She’s looking at him with questioning eyes and he briefly panics, not knowing what he should do. He makes a split second decision to go for her cheek. It’s a safe destination he thinks. It’s better than walking away without any show of love but less risky than kissing her altogether. Though, when he does lean in, he hestitates a little and she turns her head slightly. He ends up kissing the corner of her mouth and part of her cheek.

He pulls back immediately, giving her a sheepish look. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean-“

In that very moment, she decides that she’s done with this. He’s her husband and, even if he doesn’t remember that, she does. So, she doesn’t let him finish. One hand goes to each side of his face and she pulls him down, locking her lips with his. It’s a surprise to him, she can tell. But, he responds eagerly. And, of course he does. He’s a man after all. When she finally pulls away, she smiles and ducks her head. “If you’re going to kiss your wife, it might as well be a real one.”

He’s a bit breathless and her witty remark has him laughing. “Duly noted.” Then, his hands go to her waist and he pulls her back, kissing her one more time, long and slow. 

When they brake apart, she can’t seem to contain her grin. “Looks like you accomplished your goal.”

He has to think back to earlier when he’d told her how he just wanted to make her smile and he smirks. “I’m so glad. And hey, if I don’t ever get my memories back, I’ll have to change that passcode in my phone to today. Our second first kiss.”

The fact that he’s joking about it is a good sign. He’s clearly more comfortable here now and she won’t ever say no to his advances. Hell, she’d drag him into the bedroom right now if she didn’t think it’d be too much for him. They both laugh at his comment but she makes sure to throw in, “Lets hope it doesn’t come to that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompts used:  
> 76: Sleeping on the Sofa together  
> 83: accidental kiss  
> 95:Regina meets robins parents  
> 114: “I just want to see you smile.”  
> 136: Fake relationship 
> 
> I barely made it through this one guys! I’ve had such a crazy week and I almost got into a major car accident today but, luckily, I was alright. I was dealing with car repair stuff all day and I’m just so stressed. I’m not sure if I’ll get the last chapter up tomorrow. Fingers crossed. But please let me know what you thought of this one, I’ve been working on it every spare minute I had today so your feedback is much appreciated. And, I know I used accidental kiss already but I wasn’t extremely proud of it so I used it again.  
> Thank you Anny for the two extra prompts. I was going to put them in a different story but I just didn’t have time so I made them work here!


	6. Chapter 6

She doesn’t get that much sleep after they retire to their respective rooms. It’s only a little after six when she starts feeling a little queasy and lightheaded. Walking downstairs, she heads for the kitchen. A few minutes later, she settles back in her bed with some plain toast and ginger-ale hoping that, after an episode or two of Friends, she’ll be able to sleep for a few more hours. She doesn’t have the boys to worry about this morning which is a rare occasion so, she’d very much like to take advantage of that. 

Her stomach doesn’t let her. It’s the worst kind of nauseous. For a whole hour, she consistently feels like she’s about to throw up. But, no matter how many times she runs to the bathroom in preparation, nothing comes. It’s odd, praying that she will. She just wants the sweet relief, the feeling to finally go away. It’s nearly eight thirty before it fades.

________

If anyone was watching him sleep, they’d think he was having a horrid nightmare with the way he was tossing and turning in his bed. His mind was spinning and he found himself in that state right in between sleep and awareness. That pesky little gap where everything is fuzzy and it’s nearly impossible to tell what really happened in comparison to what your brain fabricated. He see’s a lot of Regina when he’s in the fog. Little bits and pieces that flash so quickly. They’re hard to place, hard to decipher. It’s like a movie being fast forwarded before his eyes. Then, someone clicks play. 

The images stop passing at a speed too fast to recognize and settle on a fireplace cackling, embers popping lightly as the logs burn. The voices in the background are faint and all he can see is the fire. Oranges and yellows flood his vision. It’s warm and stirs up something deep in his chest, like he can feel the heat. Then, everything shifts. He’s hovering above himself, seeing only what this version of him sees. Regina. They’re talking and she’s laughing. Their voices grow gradually louder until he can finally make out what they’re saying. 

They're both sipping at some wine, her glass is almost empty. They're chatting about their days at work as they enjoy an indoor picnic. The conversation is light, easy. When there is a slight pause, he can feel his heart rate pick up. Can feel the nerves radiating off of this version of him. All of a sudden, he stands. Excusing himself politely, you runs off toward what seems to be a bedroom. Robin sees everything he sees, so he misses Regina's reaction two his sudden departure. With shaking hands, dream Robin reaches into his sock drawer and digs for something. He pulls out a little black velvet box and slowly opens the lid. The moment he does, Robin recognizes the glimmering diamond inside. It's the same diamond that Regina wears on her finger now. 

He can hear himself talking, voice shaky as he tells her how much he loves her. He goes on and on about how he planned this out to be much more extravagant but, he just couldn't wait any longer. So, he gets down on one knee and pulls that black velvet box right back out of the pocket he just stuck it in. Regina starts crying immediately. He gives her this long speech about how much his life has changed since the moment he met her. About how he can't imagine spending another day without her by his side. He tells her about how he's been holding onto this ring for nearly 2 months waiting for the perfect opportunity to ask her. How in this moment, as they were sitting by a fireplace on a Saturday night, he realized that he didn't need to plan something so difficult when their entire relationship has been this easy. Because, it's easy to love her. Then, he asked her the simple question, “Will you marry me?”

She's at a loss for words, it seems. She tries to say something a few times before she finally gives up and just not your head excitedly, crawling closer to him on the floor and pulling him toward her for a long, slow kiss. And she pulls away, her head rests against his and she mutters a quiet yet audible, “I love you so much.”

He wakes up the moment he sees his hand slide that very ring on her finger.

He's sweating and shivering at the same time. Jolting up in bed, he looks around and tries to gather his surroundings. He's not quite sure what he just witnessed. It felt so real and yet, he isn't sitting in front of that fireplace right now. He's in the guest bedroom of their house without any memory of how they came to be. He spends quite a while replaying that vivid dream in his mind. After the hundredth time of seeing it again, he starts to wonder if that was an actual memory. Of all the things that he and Regina had talked about, the story of their engagement had never come up. Hope bubbles in his chest at the thought that he might be starting to remember. Only, he doesn't actually know if that is how he proposed to her.

Throwing the covers aside, he quickly climbs out of bed and walk straight to the door. He practically runs toward her room, praying that she's awake. It's nearly nine in the morning, he can't imagine that she isn't up yet but still, he really doesn't want to wake her. He knocks very gently at first but when he doesn't get a response, he knocks a little harder. After his second attempt, he hears her or yell for him to come in. Her voice is slightly muffled and it isn't until he's in the room that he realizes it's because she's in the bathroom with the door closed. He can hear the water of the sink running and he calls up again. “Regina?”

“I'll be out in a few minutes.” She yells. “is everything alright?”

He needs to know, “Can you tell me the story of how we got engaged?”

“Uh…sure.” She is still locked in the bathroom but, he must sound pretty eager because she starts to tell him the story anyway. He sits on the bed as he listens to her. “You made dinner for us at your place and, we were watching a movie when the power went out. You, being the optimist you are, decided it to make a romantic evening out of it. You lit the fireplace, laid a blanket down on the floor, and poured us a few glasses of wine. We sat and talked long after we finished our food. I was in the middle of telling you some funny story that I can't even remember at the moment when you suddenly got up and ran off toward your room.” 

She pauses and he swears he can you hear her sniffle like she's crying.

“When you came back, you were acting all sappy. Then, out of nowhere you pulled his little, black, velvet box out of your pocket. I immediately started crying as you gave your long speech. You told me about how much you loved me, how happy I made you, and how easy our relationship was. Then, you said that you realized you didn't need to come up with some elaborate, difficult plan to ask me to marry you. Because,”

She is definitely crying and, he is too, now. She can't see him, has no way of knowing how much is affected by this moment. He wishes she would come out of the bathroom but he knows that she doesn't want him to see her as week. She just doesn't understand that he can't ever see her that way. So, he doesn't let her finish her last sentence. He has a feeling he knows what she's about to say. He finishes it for her, “Because, loving you is so easy.”

He is met with complete and utter silence for a solid minute before he hears the click of the bathroom door opening. The moment his eyes meet hers, his heart breaks a little. There are a lot of mixed emotions coloring her features. Most of what he sees is confusion and hope though, there is something else there that he cannot place.

“You…you remember?” 

She has been crying a lot from the looks of it. There are streaks down her face and her eyes are slightly puffy. He feels guilty for having to tell her that no, he does not have his memories back. But, he does think that he remembers that. It only makes her look more confused as she walks over to sit next to him on the bed. He explains the dream to her, how odd it felt, how real it felt. “it's coming back, I can feel it. It's just a matter of time. I just know that I will remember, I can't explain it.”

More tears start to fall and her shoulders slump. “I really really hope so.” She mutters, between sobs.

One of his hands immediately moves to rub soothing circles on her back. The other tucks a strand of hair behind her ear as he ducks his head to look her in the eyes. “this is good news, isn't it? What's the matter, love?”

“I'm… I'm pregnant.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt:  
> 31: Quiet times near a fireplace
> 
> I apologize in advance for any mistakes. I'm exhausted and just haven't had the time to proof read or second guess myself with this. 
> 
> My original goal was to do six chapters of this and one update of More Than You know but there's no way I can manage it. I had to cut this chapter short to get it up in time for Prompt Party Saturday so there will be another (final) chapter of this up late tomorrow. Sorry ya'll. If you saw my schedule you'd understand.


	7. Chapter 7

HIs eyes go wide and he stares at her in utter disbelief. “You’re what?”

She isn’t entirely sure how she feels about the whole situation and she isn’t particularly in the mood for games. “You heard me.” They’d been trying-sort of. She didn’t want a large age gap and it took her nearly two years of trying before she got pregnant with each of her boys. So, they’d decided that they would see what happens but they weren’t getting their hopes up. If a new baby didn’t come within the next year, they’d close that chapter of their lives for good. Apparently, the third times a charm. They’d only been trying for a few months.

“Is this something you… _we,_ wanted?” 

She knows him well enough to read his emotions loud and clear. He may not be positive what his old self wanted but, his new one seems excited. Though, he’s trying to contain it. Plopping down on the bed and hugging herself tightly, she sighs. “It’s something we talked about, yes.” Then, she starts crying. 

He kneels in front of her and pulls her hands down to hold his, ticking his head to catch a glimpse of her eyes. “Then this is good new, yeah? Why are you crying?”

She’s been holding in her emotions too long. The sheer weight of their situation falls on her shoulders all at once and she breaks. “Because, I miss my husband! How are we expected to raise a child that you don’t even remember conceiving, hmm?” The tears are falling at a steady pace. “You’re right in front of me and yet, I feel like you’re so far away. I miss coming home to you every day, to your sweet kisses and gentle words. I miss sleeping with you. Not just sex, _sleeping._ I miss your memories and, while it’s been fun reliving all of them, I just want things to go back to the way they were before. I want this child to be born into a world where their father remembers raising their two brothers so wonderfully.”

He looks sad, shoulders sagging. “I know and, I’m sorry. I want that, too. Trust me.” He’s defeated, she can tell. “What can I do to make you feel better?”

“Nothing.” Letting out a long sigh, she looks him dead in the eyes. “Because, this isn’t your fault.” Another sob escapes but she manages to calm herself down after that. “You’re trying so hard. I only know how difficult this has been for me, I have no idea how you’re making it through this. You need to stop taking care of me and focus on you.”

“I appreciate that but,” He holds a finger up and tilts his head. “You’re my wife and I _will_ take care of you. Especially when you’re carrying our child. I know you’re strong and you may not always need me but, I need you. That much is clear. Without you, I wouldn’t even know my own name so please, let me help you, too.” Then, without any hesitation, he scoots a little closer to her and bends slightly so that his head is looking at her belly. “And I’ll be there for this little one also. May I?” 

His hands hover over her stomach and she gives him watery smile, nodding. Grabbing the hem of her shirt, she pulls it up just a little so that its rolled up right under her breasts and her belly is completely exposed. She isn’t showing at all yet but he stares at her anyway. His fingers are warm when they ghost over her skin, ever gentle as he talks to their unborn child. “Daddy will work extra hard to remember before you get here so that I can tell you all of our crazy stories. You’re going to be so loved and you’ll have two amazing older brothers to look out for you. Just hang in there, baby. And, don’t cause too much stress on your mama’s body, okay? She needs rest, too.”

She’s sure that the grin on her face is stupid as she watches him. He did this with both of their boys, too. Not that he has any recollection of that at the moment. He looks at her one more time before he goes to move back but, at the last second he hesitates. She thinks he’s about to say something else but instead, he puts a hand on either side of her belly and leans in to kiss it. It’s soft, just a light touch go his lips right below her belly button. It stirs up something inside of her. It’s a feeling of longing. Although she itches to reach out and touch him, she refrains. 

His eyes meet hers the second that he sits back down on the bed. “I’m still me, Regina. I’m missing a few parts but, I’m still the man you married and I really am trying. Please, just have a little hope. It won’t be like this forever. I _will_ get my memories back.”

“How could you possibly say that with so much confidence?”

He shrugs his shoulders, “I just have faith. All these things happen for a reason. I’ll be the optimist of the relationship.”

“You always have been.” She lets out a dry laugh. 

“You see? I’m still the same old me.” He chuckles a little. “Now, how about you lay back down for a little bit and rest before the boys get home? I can go do some laundry and-“

“I’d rather you didn’t.”

His eyebrows furrow in confusion. “That I don’t do laundry? Have I accidentally slipped a red sock into the whites and lost your trust?” He jokes. 

She rolls her eyes playfully. “I’d rather you didn’t leave. I haven’t slept much since your…accident. I’ve always slept more when I can feel you and I know it’s a lot to ask for you to share a bed with someone you don’t even know-“

He places a quick kiss to her lips to stop her rambling. He fights the urge to correct her again and tell her that he does know her. He’s said it enough and it just brings them back to square one. “You’re acting like you’re asking me to kill someone for you,” He chuckles, always trying to make light of a situation. “I’d be happy to lay with you for a while. Just.. tell me what you need.”

She does. As soon as his head hits the pillow beside hers, she scoots back into him and pulls his arm around her. She’d pulled her shirt back down after his little chat with their baby but, it runs up a little when she moves on the bed. Without thinking, he moves his hand to the tiny bit of exposed skin and traces soft and gentle circles there, smiling when she nuzzles even closer to him. It all feels right, familiar. And, anything familiar right now, is definitely a good thing. Especially when it involves him holding a beautiful woman in his arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is super short, ya'll.  
> Prompt 46: Bedsharing
> 
> I had two people reach out and ask me to please not rush the ending of this story. I saw an ending played out in my head from the very beginning and I just wasn't able to capture every moment I wanted before the end of Prompt Party. So, this has unintentionally become another multi chapter fic (as if I don't have enough already). Thank you again to my friend and Beta, Anny both for the idea for this story and all the encouragement throughout this week. You all can thank her for this one and for the fact that you will get more than just one more chapter (eventually). I won't be updating daily lol. Honestly, it'll probably take at least a week to get another up because I just don't have the time now. But, thanks in advance for sticking with it. Your comments are always appreciated:)


	8. Chapter 8

When she wakes up a few hours later, it’s to his light touch on her arm. His fingers swirl around softly on the skin there until little goosebumps start to pop up. It feels wonderful, just being in his arms again. She missed this.

It takes everything in her to turn and face him, consequently pushing his arm away when she does. “How long have you been up?”

He shrugs the shoulder he isn’t laying on and gives her a relaxed smile. “Not long.”

“You could’ve woken me.” 

His hand moves to her waist as he scoots a little closer to her. “Why would I do that? You looked so peaceful and, you need the rest.” That hand slowly moves up her side, narrowly avoiding the side of her breast as he brings it all the way up to caress her cheek. 

It’s intimate. Much more intimate than they’ve been since his accident. She craves more, wishes that he wasn’t so polite in this moment. She knows he won’t do anything. He won’t try for anything more. Not yet. But oh, how she wants it. She sighs, finally gathering up the strength to move away. Throwing the covers over her, she climbs out of bed. The warmth of him that she’d missed so much the last week, immediately fades away and she shivers. “The boys should be home soon. I was thinking maybe we could take them to the park?” Her fingers move up to run through her hair. She should really wash it, it’s been a few days. 

“That sounds good to me.” He doesn’t make a move to get up, though. He just stretches a little and throws an arm back behind the pillow supporting his head.

She nods. “I’m going to shower and get dressed.” She doesn’t wait for him to respond, just turns and walks into the bathroom. She needs some warm water to sooth her sore muscles and hopefully the time alone will help her get over her craving for intimacy with him. It just isn’t the time. She wishes her body could be in sync with her brain but, it just craves his touch.

She takes her time, thoroughly washing her hair and letting the warm water relax her. When she finally turns the faucet off and climbs out of the shower, the whole bathroom is steamy. The mirror is coated with a layer of fog and she feels like she might suffocate in the heat. She’s always been like that. Loved hot showers but couldn’t stand to stay in the bathroom once she got out. So, she wraps herself tightly in her towel and opens the door, flicking the little switch for the fan and walking out into her cool bedroom. She’d expected him to have gotten up already but he’s in the same spot she left him in. His eyes are closed and he’s got a peaceful smile on his face. It makes her smile, even though she knows he isn’t sleeping. He’s just relaxing. “Are you planning on getting up?”

His eyes open and immediately find hers. They only stay there for a second, though. It’s obvious, the way they run down her body, taking in every part of her that isn’t covered by the towel she’s still clutching. “I was… uh.. waiting for you. I wanted to take a shower…”  
She has to suppress a laugh at his struggle to get his words out. It doesn’t help her aching need for him in the slightest. It occurs to her then, that he has no recollection of seeing her bare. That his imagination must be running wild at the sight of her in just a towel. She, on the other hand, knows what he looks like under all those clothes and, it has heat pooling low in her belly again. She feels slightly bad for him. Only slightly. The rest of her is enjoying his expression. That thought makes her feel just a bit guilty but, she manages to push it away. “I usually dry off in the bathroom and wrap my hair up before I come out. It’s a good thing I didn’t walk out naked this time. You already don’t remember me, I’d hate to have shocked you so much that you somehow lost your ability to speak, too.” She smirks at him and turns toward the closet.

“You’re not playing fair.” He quickly pushes the sheets off of him and climbs out of the bed, following her. “I have to say, though, I think this has to be one of the biggest perks of me losing my memory. I get to do all of this again as if it’s the first time.”

She reaches up and pulls a shirt off of its hanger before she turns to face him. She raises an eyebrow at him when she asks, “Do what, exactly?” It’s fun, the little game they’re playing. He’s clearly gotten much more comfortable with her in just the last day. 

His smile turns into more of a smirk. “See you like this. Touch you, kiss you.” He moves just a step closer with each word he mutters. 

Her hand moves to hold onto her towel again as she gets lost in his eyes. She almost forgets to respond but manages to snap herself out of it. “Touch me? You’ve barely touched me.” Two can play at that game. 

He’s always been much better at flirting. Bending down, he stops just a breath away from her lips, letting his next words come out in a whisper. “Do you want me to?”

The words leave her mouth before she can even think about them. “God yes.” Letting go of her towel, she pulls him down to her and crashes her lips to his. The white cloth is wedged between them now but she knows that whenever they do pull apart, she won’t be wrapped in it anymore. A few seconds in, she remembers why it’s not a good idea. If he doesn’t ever get his memories back, they need to have a new story. And, that story shouldn’t involve their first time being a few days after his accident when he’s still learning who she is. She keeps kissing him, trying to think of a way to end this without messing anything up. They’ve gotten lost in the moment, that’s all. Luckily, the doorbell echoing through the house is enough to bring them back to their senses. 

It almost as if they’ve been caught, jumping apart. She manages to catch the towel before it falls completely. It reveals a little bit more of her body to him than it had before but it’s not the end of the world. He may not remember but, he’s seen her like this thousands of times. Still, the look on his face when he catches sight of one of her breasts, brings a smirk back to her lips. That’s one thing she’ll never get over, the way he looks at her. Ducking her head slightly, she remembers why they were interrupted in the first place. “That’s probably Tink with the boys.”

“Right.” His hand moves to rub at his face a little, scratching the scruff there and running his fingers over his lips. “You.. uh.. get dressed. I’ll go get the door.”

Biting her lip, she watches him go, thanking him just as he walks out. She’s glad she still has an effect on him. And, she’s never been more thankful for an interruption. As much as she wanted this and she’s happy to know that he clearly wants it, too, they’re better off waiting. She’ll survive. 

——————

She ends up having to pick a different shirt. The one she’d originally chosen is now wrinkled and she doesn’t feel like ironing it. So, she grabs a loose red tank-top, throws on some jeans, and brushes through her hair quickly. Once it’s styled the way she likes it, she walks out of the room. Her boys are sitting on the couch watching tv. Roland is on Robin’s lap and Henry is cuddled up next to him. She sneaks up behind them and wraps them all in a hug, first kissing Henry’s cheek and then leaning around Robin to do the same to her youngest. He gives her an awkward and amused look that she does her best to ignore. She’d hate to have to come up with a lie for her kids as to why she starts laughing randomly. “How was Tink’s?”

“Good! We played games and built a fort and made ice cream sundaes!” Roland bounces excitedly in his fathers lap. 

“Yeah, and she bought the forth Harry Potter book so I could read to her and wouldn’t have to skip a night.” Henry smiles proudly. He’s been on a Harry Potter craze for the past few months, reading a chapter each night. He’s old enough to read on his own but she still likes to share that time with him. So, every night, they read a chapter together out loud. She helps him with the words he doesn’t know or reads when he gets a little sleepy. It’s a tradition and she knows how much Henry loves it. 

She makes a mental note to send Tink a little extra money for buying the book and as a thank you. “That’s great, sweetheart. Did you remember to thank her?”

Henry nods and she smiles, proud of her boy. “Good. Well, Dad and I were thinking of going to the park. You boys up for a picnic?”

They both nod excitedly. “But papa? You can’t go to the park in your pajamas!” Roland giggles.

Robin smiles and tickles his side gently until he wiggles. “You’re absolutely right. I’ll just go take a quick shower and change. How’s that?” He bops Roland’s nose lightly and the little boy laughs.

“Can we bring the frisbee?” Henry perks up. 

“That sounds like a great idea.” Regina smiles then turns to Robin. “Now, you go get ready and I’ll pack some food.” Walking off toward the kitchen, she smiles. 

He follows her there first, leaving their boys invested in some Disney Channel show. “I’m sorry about.. that.” He doesn’t need to clarify for her to know what he’s talking about. It’s clear that he’s referring to the few heated minutes they shared before the kids got home. 

“It wasn’t all you.” She smiles. “And I enjoyed it but..”

“Getting interrupted was probably for the best?” He finished for her. “I agree. Just got a bit caught up in the moment. I think that, for now, we should keep things a little more innocent, at least until I get to know you a little more.” He pauses and looks back toward the couch before he comes closer. “I want you, I really do. I’m a man and you’re gorgeous, I just want to be one hundred percent sure that I’m not taking advantage. I know it sounds silly but-“

“It’s not silly. For me, it’s love. For you, it’s sex. I get it.” It hurts to think about, hurts to say but it’s not his fault. So, she pushes back the feelings it stirs up and forces a smile. “We should wait… ” _Until you love me again._ She can’t say that, though. So, she settles with, “Wait until you feel more.. connected.” It isn’t the best choice of words but, it’ll have to do.

“Yeah.” He’s about to apologize again, she can tell. He must think better of it, though. “I still want to kiss you.”

“You still can.” Her heart almost breaks at his look of reluctance. “I will never say no to that.” She can tell how badly he wants to but he still looks scared. It’s silly. Even without his memories, in the last twenty-four hours, they’ve shared quite a few kisses. And, she’ll take what she can get. She knows he’s doing this for her, that he feels guilty for not remembering that he loves her. So, she assures him. “The doctor said to go back to your normal routine, right? Well, you kiss me all the time. Every day. In the morning when we wake up, when I leave for work, when I get home, at night, and many times in between. It’s part of our routine.” 

His worried look slowly morphs into a small smile while she talks. She can tell she’s eased that one worry, at least. “In that case...” He moves closer and brings his lips to hers, giving her a soft and slow kiss. “I need to stick to my routine.” He pauses, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “Thank you.”

“For what?” Her forehead moves to rest against his and she lets out a little sigh of relief. 

“For understanding. For comforting me even though you’re struggling, too.” The seriousness of the conversation dawns on them and he shakes his head a little. “I’m assuming we aren’t saying anything about...?” His hand moves from her hip to her belly and splays out there, effectively finishing his question.

“No, not yet.” Her hand moves to cover his on her flat stomach. It’s only a matter of time before she starts showing. “Let’s see how the next few weeks go first.”

“Alright.” He places one more quick kiss to her lips. “I should go get ready.”

She watches him walk toward the stairs. It’s not ideal, this whole situation. But, he’s trying and that’s what matters. She’s determined now, she will find a way to help him gain his memories again before this child comes. Shaking the thoughts out of her head for the time being, she turns toward the fridge to find something for their picnic.  
_________

It’s early April so, the weather is just perfect. It’s sunny and there’s a light breeze. Not too hot but not cold either. A great day for a picnic in the park. 

They spend the first hour or so idly tossing the frisbee back and forth until all three of her boys are sweat-soaked and pulling their shirts over their heads. She doesn’t have that luxury. Despite all of the protests, she still manages to lather them up with sunscreen. She sits out of the next game, just enjoying the view. Not only is it absolutely adorable how hard Roland tries to jump and catch the frisbee, but Henry being the supportive brother he is, continuously helps the toddler. And, it’s no hardship watching Robin play with the two of them, either. Shirtless. She couldn’t imagine a better day than this. 

The boys practically beg them for ice cream and, with the heat, they can’t help but give in. They walk to the little shop down the street and then go back toward the park to sit and enjoy their treat. When she looks at Robin and finds him whispering in Roland’s ear, she can see the wheels spinning in his head. She’s quick to connect the dots on what he’s thinking, though she’s barely off the bench before he catches her. Roland’s little giggles echo around her as Robin practically picks her up and smears some of his ice cream on her cheek. He didn’t quite think it through because, she’s still got some left, herself. Her arm twists around so that she can shove her cone in his face. Chocolate ice cream covers his nose and mouth and that makes him let go of her and step back, a huge grin on his face. Both of their boys are highly amused by the whole scene, though neither of them are willing to sacrifice their treat to join the chaos. 

Wiping some of the chocolate off of his nose, Robin smiles. “I suppose I had that coming.”

Regina simply smirks, wiping the little bit of his desert off her cheek and crossing her arms over her chest. She’s all caught up in watching him try to clean the stickiness off of his face, trying not to laugh too hard. She’s got wipes in her bag but, she’ll let him struggle just a bit first. 

“Dad! You made mom waste all her ice cream on your face!” Henry looks appalled and amused at the same time. 

Both adults start laughing at that. “I guess I’ll just have to take Dad’s, then.” Walking over to her husband, she plucks the cone from his hand and starts to eat it. Robin doesn’t say anything, just looks at her with sparkling eyes as he continues to wipe at his face. He does a decent job getting it off but, it just transfers the stickiness to his hands. The way his brows furrow when he looks at the mess he’s made, is adorably comical. When their boys run off to the swings again, she decides it’s time to show him some mercy and hand over the wipes that she’s got hidden in her bag. 

He looks so relieved when she does, his grin and dimples on full display. He takes them gratefully, murmuring under his breath, “I could kiss you.” 

She can’t help but laugh at the comment. “You can, you know?” Then, when she sees the devilish smirk on his face, she quickly clarifies. “After you’re done cleaning your face.”

He nods and continues his task, staring off into the distance at their boys. “They’re such good kids.”

“Mm.” Following his eyesight, she watches as Henry very clearly let’s Roland win the swinging contest they’ve started. “We’re very lucky.”

“I don’t think that’s luck. It’s a testament to how you’ve raised them.” He’s still not looking at her so, he misses the one little tear that she lets fall at his words.

Shaking herself out of it, she smiles and walks in front of him, putting her arms around his shoulders and searching his eyes. “I think you mean the way _we_ have raised them.” The smile he gives her is bright and, finally, devoid of chocolate. Still, she tells him, “You missed a spot.” His eyes widen slightly and she chuckles, bringing her hand up to frame his cheek. She lets her fingers run over his lips softly, thumb brushing the bottom one. He’s right in front of her and yet, so far away. After looking back toward their boys to make sure that they’re still occupied, she pulls him down and kisses him slowly. Once she pulls away, she turns her back to him to watch Roland and Henry. He doesn’t say a word, though she knows that he has an idea of what she’s feeling. His arms wrap loosely around her waist and he places a tender kiss on the side of her neck. She soaks up the feeling for a few minutes before reluctantly pulling away. “We should go home. The boys need to shower and I told Henry he could help me make dinner tonight. I should probably figure out what we’ll have so I can plan accordingly.”

“Of course, I’ll go get the boys.”

_____

Making dinner becomes a family affair. As soon as he sees his brother helping Mom in the kitchen, Roland insists on joining in on the fun, dragging his father along with him. 

She turns around for one second and finds a guilty looking father and son covered in flour. The whole scene is quite comical actually. She has to suppress a laugh. Not only are Rolands hands covered in flour, but it’s all over his shirt, face, and even a little in his curly hair. He’s looking down, trying and failing to look sorry. Robin is smirking. He’s got a good bit of the white powder on the side of his face, too. 

Henry is standing next to her with his arms crossed over his chest, looking at his father and brother with a semi-mean scowl. She has to admit that he does look a lot like her at the moment and it only makes her want to smile even more. 

She musters up as much sternness as she can in between almost-laughs as she tried to scold them. It has almost no effect. But, Henry does it for her. 

“Seriously? You know that Mom doesn’t let us play in the kitchen! And, you made a mess.” His little hands are on his hips when he says the words. 

It seems like the lecture is coming from a child much older than eight and, when she and Robin exchange a look, she nearly lets that laughter escape. Nearly. Then, when Henry turns toward her, she hides it again. “Mom? I think Dad should have to be in charge of Roland’s bath tonight since _he_ is the one that got him covered in flour.”

Her eyebrows raise at his suggestion and the grin on her face turns to a smirk. “That’s a brilliant idea.” Robin’s eyes go a little wide but he doesn’t lose the playful glint in them. He knows what a chore bath time is for their son, after all, he did do it last. “Why don’t you go ahead and take this little flour monster upstairs and clean him up, hm? Leave the cooking to the professionals.”

Henry practically beams with pride when she wraps her arm around him, muttering a “Yeah,” under his breath. 

Robin tried to look guilty, like he’s ashamed and upset with his punishment but, even with how much work bathing Roland is, he doesn’t mind it. And, no matter how bossy his eight year old might be being, he found it incredibly adorable. So, he slumps his shoulders, acts as defeated as he possibly can, and grabs Roland to take him upstairs. 

—————-

When they’re cleaning up from dinner, Robin’s phone starts ringing. He hasn’t used the thing very much in the last few days, so he’s a bit surprised. When he picks it up, he see’s John’s name lighting up the screen. He holds it up in Regina’s direction and gives her a questioning look. 

She simply nods her head, “Your best friend. You should answer.”

Shrugging his shoulders, he slides the button on the screen and puts it to his ear. “Hello?”

“Robin!” The man on the other line has a deep voice that sounds oddly familiar. “How’re you doing, mate?” 

They chat for a few minutes before John invites him out for drinks. He really doesn’t feel like it. As much as this man is his best friend, he doesn’t remember him and he’s not really in the mood to go out drinking. Regina must see the hesitation on his face, because she’s giving him a questioning look. He briefly mutes John and tells her, “He wants me to go out for a couple beers.”  
Her eyebrows shoot up and she smiles. “I think that’s a great idea.”

He’s still not sure. “I don’t know…”

“You should go.” Rounding the counter, she walks closer to him. “The kids need to go to bed soon anyway and, it might help to have some time alone with John. Go, have fun.” 

“I don’t want to leave you and the boys.”His face is a little twisted, like he’s still too conflicted. 

Throwing the dish towel over her shoulder, she steps even closer. “We’re not going anywhere.” Running her hand along his cheek, she smiles sweetly. “We’ll be here when you get back.”

Finally, he relents. Sighing, he picks the phone back up and agrees. John seems incredibly happy that he agreed and tells him he’ll be there in five minutes. Jogging up the stairs, he throws on jeans in place of his sweat pants and grabs a blue t-shirt from one of his drawers. It’s slightly wrinkled but, he’s going to a bar so, it doesn’t matter too much. 

When he comes back downstairs, Regina is sitting on the couch in between both of their boys. Each one is snuggled up to her side as they watch a movie. Leaning down, he gives each a kiss on the cheek. Then, he kisses her forehead. “Are you sure you’re alright with me going?”

“Where are you going, Papa?” 

“He’s going out with Uncle John.” Regina chimes in. “And, yes. Go, have fun.”

Robin smile’s, “Aright then. Goodnight.” Then, turning toward the boys he opens his arms wide, tickling both of their sides until they’re squirming in their seat and giggling. “And, Goodnight to you. And, to you.” He kisses each one of his kids as he says it. “Sweet dreams, I will see you in the morning.“ He tickles each of them again a few times before standing up, bringing out even more and giggles. When he walks toward the door to grab his coat, he hears Roland call his name again. He turns back and kneels in front of him, asking, “What’s up, buddy?”

“You forgot to tell Mama goodbye _and_ give her a kiss.” The way he says it is all dramatic and cute but it still doesn’t take away the weight of the situation. It’s easy to forget that he still isn’t himself. To his kids, he’s still dad and they don’t understand the gravity of his condition. 

Still, kissing Regina isn’t really a hardship. So, he plasters a smile on his face and taps his son gently on the nose, “You’re absolutely right. How could I forget something so important?” 

Regina looks like she’s about to save him and explain to Roland, yet again, that he still doesn’t have him memories. She’s so good at giving him his space. But, there’s no need. She said he could kiss her, so why not? He doesn’t let her get the words out, just leans in to cup her cheek and kiss her softly. It’s innocent, they’re in front of their kids after all, but she sinks into it and tilts her head into his hand just a tad. When he pulls away, he whispers, “Goodnight, love.”

“Goodnight.” She smiles sleepily. Then, she holds his gaze until he disappears around the corner. A moment later, she hears the door click closed. 

——————

An hour later, she’s settling into bed. A part of her wanted to stay up and wait for him, just to make sure all went smoothly but, he’s a grown man and she’d hate for him to feel like she’s crowding him. He needs to find out who he is both with her, and without. So, she tucks herself under the covers and turns off the lamp, hoping for some sleep. 

It takes a while before she starts to doze off, her mind swirling with all sorts of things. Then, there’s a little knock on her door. She assumes it’s him, though they usually stay out much longer than an hour and a half. So, she whispers just loud enough to come in. 

She’s surprised to see Henry’s form when he opens the door and jumps into bed with her. He rarely does this. Only on special occasions or when they’re sick does Regina allow her kids to sleep with her. She’ll gladly cuddle up with them in their beds but, they need that bit of independence and she needs alone time with her husband. Well, before at least.

Turning to face him, she runs her fingers through his messy hair and strokes the side of his cheek, “What’s wrong, honey?”

Her son sits there for a moment, closing his eyes and hugging his mother close. “Why is Dad acting funny?”

Her eyebrows knit in confusion. “What do you mean?”

Henry sighs. “He asked me where the pan for the grilled cheese was yesterday. He said he forgot but, he makes it _all_ the time, how could he forget that? And then, Roland and I had to explain the rules to the frisbee game that _he_ made up for us. And, when he left to go with Uncle John, he didn’t kiss you goodbye like he always does. You two _always_ kiss, like too much.” 

He scrunches his nose up a little in this adorable way that reminds her so much of herself, it almost makes her laugh. But, what he’s saying isn’t funny. It’s difficult and heartbreaking. “I know honey. Things are a little different now.” Wrapping her arm around him, she pulls him just a tad closer so she can lean down and kiss his forehead. “Daddy is trying so hard to be himself again but the accident has made it hard. We all have to be really patient.”

Henry hums softly: “Will dad ever remember the way things used to be?”

She can feel her heart when it drops slightly in her chest. This whole thing has been incredibly hard but she didn’t think that the boys were getting any of it. “I really hope so.” As difficult as it may be, she isn’t going to sugarcoat it for him. It’ll only make him resent her in the end.

A little pout forms on his lips and he snuggles even closer to her, burying his head in her shoulder. His next words are muffled because of it but she understands them nonetheless. “I miss our real dad.”

“Hey,” she pulls away just slightly so that she can force him to look in her eyes. “He’s still your real dad. He loves you so much, even without his memories. He’s just missing a few pieces.” She pauses for a minute. “Do you remember when you broke that little toy car that you loved so much?” 

Henry nods. 

“Well, it’s kind of like that. It took all of us to put it back together. Roland crawled all around the floor looking for the screws and wheels. You went looking for the super glue. And, I held all of the pieces together while Daddy glued them back and put the screws in their right places.” She tilts his chin up a little, “The doctors did their best putting all of Daddy’s pieces back together but, they were missing some and need our help. So, we have to be there for him. Even if that means telling him where the pan is or how to play our favorite game. Does that make sense?”

Her son nods his head, “Yeah. I just hope we can find his missing pieces.”

“Me too.” She gives his forehead a big kiss and smiles softly at him. “I love you, you know that?” It brings a smile out on Henry’s face as he nods his head. “Why don’t we go get you some milk and then I’ll tuck you back into bed, hm?”

“Can I please stay with you? Just this once.” He pleads. 

Normally, her answer would be no but, he’s sad and he’s been so strong and so helpful. She doesn’t want to send her baby off to his room alone when he so clearly wants to be here. With her. These moments won’t come around too often in the future and, without having Robin in their bed, she’s been lonely. So, when she mutters quietly, “Just this once,” and let’s him snuggle up closer to her, she tells herself it’s because they both need each other.

————-

When John drops him off at home, it’s well after midnight. He’d had a better time than he expected but, he’s exhausted and ready for bed. The moment his keys fall in the bowl by the door, he’s walks straight toward their room. He doesn’t even think about it until he’s at their door. Technically, he’s supposed to be sleeping in the room down the hall but, he has no desire to go there.

She’d made it pretty clear during their nap earlier in the day that she missed being next to him at night. Still, he wonders if it’s a good idea, especially when she’s probably already sleeping. He’s conflicted and he contemplates it for a bit before deciding to at least check and see if she’s up. 

It’s completely dark inside so, he leaves the door open just a tad so that a little light from the hall can make its way inside. The sight in front of him has his heart beating wildly in his chest, swelling up with emotion. Their oldest son is laying in front of his wife, her arms wrapped tightly around him, cuddling him close as she holds his hands. It’s a beautiful picture and he’s very much like to store it in his mind forever.

They’re too peaceful to even consider interrupting so, he turns back toward the door. Then, he turns back one last time and walks over to the bed, leaning down and kissing each of their foreheads softly. After all, apparently it’s a tradition to kiss his wife goodbye. He leaves them then, with just a quiet whisper of, “Goodnight.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long. Hope it was worth the wait! 
> 
> Please let me know what you think! What do you think/ or want to happen in the future chapters? 
> 
> Honestly, it’ll probably be a little while before I’m able to update again but I might throw out some sneak peaks on Twitter or do some polls so, go follow me there @RegalLove2 !!
> 
> Special thank you to Anny, my incredible Beta and friend. I couldn’t have done this chapter without her!


	9. Chapter 9

When she wakes up the next morning, Henry is gone. She isn’t surprised that he’s already up, nor that he didn’t wake her. He’s old enough to keep himself entertained for a little bit in the mornings. Usually, she finds him reading or watching cartoons with Roland. Still, she feels the need to get up, knowing that he is. She should check on him. 

Reluctantly, she climbs out of her warm bed and goes to brush her teeth before exiting her room.

She was right, they’re both sitting on the couch. Roland is snuggled up to Henry’s side and, from the looks of it, her oldest is reading one of the Magic Tree House books to him. She loves waking up to this, loves how great they get along with each other. The smell of breakfast briefly distracts her, causing the realization that Robin must already be awake. Deciding not to interrupt that sweet moment between her two boys, she sneaks past them into the kitchen. 

She finds him standing over the stove, back to her. “I’m surprised you’re up.” 

When he hears her, he turns, a sleepy smile on his face. “I didn’t sleep much and, when I heard the boys get up, it just made sense to get up, too.” After handing over a mug, he leans on the counter and nods his head in the direction of the living room. “They’re so sweet, reading together like that.”

“Mhmm,” She hums, glancing over her shoulder and smiling at them too. “So… How was your night out with John?”

He pauses briefly, as if to think about it. “It was better than expected.”

“That's good.” Pausing, she takes a tentative sip of her coffee. “And, what exactly were you expecting?”

“Honestly, I'm not sure.” He turns his back to her then, checking on the food he’s still in the process of making. “I was nervous…it’s hard, being the only one in the room that doesn't remember. There were a few moments where John momentarily forgot the situation. He’d reference some inside joke or story and start laughing before realizing that I had no bloody idea what he was talking about.”

“I'm sorry about that. You're still you, you still look like yourself, talk like yourself, and act like yourself. Sometimes, it's easy to pretend that everything is the way it was before. And, John hasn't spent any time with you since the accident. It will take some time to adjust, I'm sure.” 

“I get that. And, it's alright.” Turning back toward her, he leans on the counter and shrugs his shoulders. “After the second time it happened, I made a joke about this becoming another one of those stories, that one day we would laugh about the time that I couldn't remember. That seemed to break the tension. Everything was fine after that.”

Chuckling, she smiles. “I'm glad.” She takes another sip of her coffee and reaches across the counter to lock her fingers with his. “You must have gotten in pretty late. Why didn't you sleep?”

He nods. “We got a bit invested in a game on the telly at the bar. He dropped me off just after midnight.” He lets go of her hand long enough to take the pancakes off the stove and pour some more batter in their place. “And, as for sleeping, I have no clue. I spent most of the night staring at the ceiling. The rest of it was tossing and turning. I kept balancing between sleep and a very vivid dream.”

Her eyebrows shoot up. “You had another dream? Do you think it was a memory?”

“Maybe…”

She narrows her eyes at him when he doesn’t continue and he looks away. “The only way you’ll know for sure is if you tell me.” When he still avoids eye-contact, she sighs. “What could possibly be that bad?”

“I didn’t say it was _bad_.” Hesitating, his face turns a little red. “I just don’t think we should talk about it right now.”

“You’re blushing! Now I _have_ to know.” Her smile turns to a full grin. She brings her voice a little lower and leans in closer, just in case. “Was this a sexy dream?”

His face turns an even darker shade of red. “I didn’t-“

Roland comes walking into the kitchen then, patting his little round belly with both hands. “Papa! Is breakfast almost ready? My tummy is growling at me.” 

Both adults laugh. “Yes, just a few more minutes buddy.”

Noticing for the first time that his mother is there, he climbs up her stool and plops down in her lap. “Mama!” He’s getting a bit too big to do that, but she doesn’t say anything. She just cuddles him close and peppers a bunch of tiny kisses to his face until he’s giggling. 

Glancing back in the direction of the living room, she see’s her oldest completely invested in a new book. “Why don’t we go get Henry and set the table, hm?” Picking up Roland and putting him down on the floor, she smiles. He runs off happily and, before she follows, she turns back to Robin one last time. “This conversation isn’t over.”

He smiles. “It is for now, thanks to our amazing little boy and his impeccable timing.” When she rolls her eyes at him, he just winks. 

She feels the need to check on Henry after their conversation the night before. She doesn’t particularly like the way he was feeling and she prays that she was able to ease his worries at least a little. 

Plopping down on the couch next to him, she immediately puts her arm around his shoulders and pulls him close. “How are you feeling, sweetheart?”

Henry shrugs and closes his book but still cuddles closer. She’ll never get over that feeling. “I’m good.” He doesn’t say anything else really, just closes his eyes and hugs her back. 

She stays there for a few minutes, soaking it up. Roland has invested himself in playing with the little toy car on the coffee table and she smiles. “We should go set the table, breakfast is almost ready.” 

It isn’t until she moves to get up that he speaks up again. “Hey mom?” 

“Yes, baby?”

He pulls her back down to the couch and hugs her tightly. “Thank you again for letting me stay with you last night.” 

That little bit seems to catch Roland’s attention. “You got to sleep with mama?” Henry looks apologetic, though he has no reason to be. Roland is almost always in his own little world, oblivious to the things going on around him. But now, he listens? 

“That’s not fair, I want to sleep with you, mama!”

Regina sighs at the immediate pouty lip that appears on his face. “Come here.” She waits for Roland to round the coffee table and step within reach. “You don’t need to sleep with me, honey. You’re a big boy.”

“So is Henry!” 

He’s a smart one, this kid. She’ll give him that. “Yes, but Henry wasn’t feeling well. It was just this once. He’ll be back in his own big-boy bed tonight, too.”

It takes a little more back and forth with her kid before she can distract him long enough to set the table and change the subject. The distraction was only temporary, though. He brings it up at breakfast, even murmuring under his breath, “I wish I was sick.”

“Why would you say that, sweetheart?” Standing up, she walks to his chair and pulls it out a little, crouching down in front of him. “Being sick isn’t fun, Ro.” To be fair, Henry wasn’t _actually_ sick. But, they don’t need to go into the whole situation. So sick it is. 

He’s a master at the pouty lips and he’s quite fond of using them. “But I want cuddles with you!”

“Oh, honey.” Running her hands through his curly hair, she smiles sadly. It’s adorable and yet, it breaks her heart just a little. “You don’t have to be sick for cuddles. How about we watch a movie and you can lay with me all day if you want to?”

He’s still sad, that much is clear, but her offer helps a little. 

Once they finish breakfast, she sends him out to pick a movie while she and Robin clean up. She’s a little off, everything that has been weighing on her is starting to feel really heavy. After the conversation during breakfast, she’s a little more worried that her boys aren’t alright. With Henry’s concerns the night before and Roland wanting to be sick to gain her affection, she feels like an awful parent. She know’s she’s not. It’s just a feeling that comes and goes but...still. 

“What’s wrong?” Robin must be able to sense her change of mood. Some things never change.

“Just thinking about what Roland said at breakfast.” 

He tilts his head curiously. “What about it?”

She shrugs her shoulders slightly. “It’s nothing…” Pausing, she sighs. “I just think that maybe I haven’t been there enough for the boys in the past few weeks. That’s all.”

“What are you talking about?” Setting down his towel and walking over to her, he pulls her in for a hug. “You are the most loving mom I’ve ever seen. Those kids love you so much and you do everything for them. You’re a fantastic mother.”

She hugs him back instantly. “I know that, but it doesn’t mean I don’t have room to improve. I could-”

“Stop.” He leans back just a little and uses one hand to tilt her chin up. “The only thing you need to change is your opinion of yourself.”

“Roland wants to spend the whole day cuddling with me-“

He tries to lighten the mood a little when he asks, “Who doesn’t?” 

It works for just a second, has a small smile flashing across her face and a slight blush creeping onto her cheeks. “I’m serious!” She whacks his arm softly. “Does that sound like a kid that’s getting enough love and attention to you?”

He shrugs. “To me, it sounds like a kid who loves his mom a lot. And, a kid who is incredibly loved.” Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, he smiles. “I’m actually just a tad jealous.”

This time, his humor works. All of her worries melt away and she actually laughs. She plasters on her best flirty smile and leans a little closer. “There’s no need to be.” Then, she kisses him softly. Her fingers move to play with the little bit of hair that is creeping down the back of his neck, causing a little shiver from him. “You can have some cuddle time whenever you’d like. Unless,” Holding a finger up, she smirks, “One of our sons asks first. They get priority.” 

“Hmm, good to know.” He chuckles. 

“Speaking of which, I believe there’s a toddler waiting for me in the living room.” She’s about to walk away, but she turns back around and pulls him close again. Kissing him softly, she smiles. “Thank you.” 

Just as she’s walking away, she hears him answer with, “Anytime.” 

She feels much better. 

_______

The rain pounding on the living room window makes them all agree that it’d be a great lazy day. They watch two movies, one picked by each of her boys. She makes good on her promise to cuddle with Roland and he soaks it up. It’s relaxing and rejuvenating. It’s exactly what she didn’t know she needed. 

Later that night, after dinner, she and Robin tag-team bed time with their youngest. He gives the kiddo his bath while she cleans the kitchen but, Roland insists that Regina read him a story and put him to bed. By the time both boys are tucked in, she’s exhausted. Lazy days somehow always make her feel even more tired in the end. It doesn’t make a ton of sense but, that’s just the way it is. She would love to go straight to bed, she does have to be up early the next day afterall; however, she feels as though she’s barely spent any time alone with Robin in two whole days. So, she makes them some tea and just settles on the couch next to him, hoping they can talk. 

Roland has other plans though, it seems. It’s not even ten minutes after she tucked the kid in and turned out his lights before he’s walking down the stairs and calling her name. She sighs the moment she spots him, pajama clad and clutching his favorite stuffed monkey. She’d just sat down but, she leans forward and places her mug on the table gently before rounding the couch and squatting in front of him. “Roland, honey. You’re supposed to be in bed. You have school tomorrow.”

“I know, mama. But I want to sleep with you.” 

He pulls that bottom lip between his teeth before pouting and, again, she sighs. “We talked about this, Roland. You need to sleep in your own bed, like the big boy you are.”

The little boy wraps his arms tighter around his stuffed animal, face growing even more sad. “Then why can’t you sleep with me, in my bed?”

He’s a smart kid, just like his brother. Glancing over her shoulder, she catches Robin grinning. “Alright,” running her fingers through his curls, she pulls him into a hug. “I will come lay with you but, only until you fall asleep, understand?” When her son nods enthusiastically, she can’t help but smile. Still, she feels the need to clarify, “Just this one time, Roland. Now go back to your room and I’ll be up in a minute.”

“Okay, mama.” And, just like that, her toddler is happy again. 

She watches him skip up the stairs and she stands, turning to her husband. “I’m sorry.”

Robin sits up so he can lean on the back of the couch and look at her more closely. “For?”

“I was hoping we could have some time, just the two of us.” She pauses and looks back toward the stairs. “I wouldn’t normally agree to something like this, the kids need independence… It’s just, with everything going on lately..”

He stands up then, setting his mug down next to hers. “You don’t need to apologize for loving on our kids.” Coming to stand in front of her, he places a hand gently on her cheek. “Go ahead.”

“I shouldn’t be too long.” Tilting her head a little toward his hand, she smiles. “Wait for me?”

“Of course,” Leaning in and kissing her forehead softly, he smiles, “Now, go.” 

He watches her walk up the stairs and disappear before he turns back to the couch and plops down. 

_______

He busies himself with a book, the one she’d left him the day after he got back from the hospital. Apparently, it’s his favorite. The television is a bit overwhelming to him. He turns it on and has no idea what channel to watch. It’s indecisiveness at it’s best but, it irks him. For a solid minute, he’ll think he found something decent and then, it turns out to be a ridiculous reality show or something filled with innuendos that are wildly inappropriate. He feels like a child. Like his choice of television show tells him who he is and that's just too much pressure. He doesn’t know what he likes and, if she’s not there to tell him, he’s not willing to try and find out for himself... not yet, anyway. The more he thinks about it, the sillier it sounds. 

Shaking his head in an effort to clear out the thoughts, he forces his eyes to focus back on the book. He gets lost in it, scanning page after page until about an hour passes. The little digital clock on the stove tells him it’s after ten and, he has a feeling Regina isn’t coming back downstairs. 

Slipping a napkin into his book to mark the page, he stands up. On his way to the stairs, he turns off the lights, only leaving the little one above the stove on. His brain takes him straight to his bedroom, the guest one that he’s been sleeping in since he got home. When he reaches for the door handle and a long yawn escapes his mouth, he nearly chuckles. He hadn’t realized he was that tired. Pausing, he decides to check on her first. She’d asked him to wait and he agreed, so he feels a bit guilty for going to bed. 

The door to Roland’s room is cracked open slightly. Giving it a little push, he steps inside. The light from the hall filters in just enough for him to see them. His wife and son cuddled up on the twin sized bed in the corner. Roland’s head is on her chest, his little arm wrapped around her stomach and clutching the fabric of her T-shirt. The one that she’d apparently stolen from him. The sight makes him smile much more than he has since he could remember. He loves them. He knows he doesn’t technically have memories of loving them but he's one-hundred percent certain that he loves them nonetheless. 

After a few minutes of watching them, he can’t help but walk even closer. Roland is snoring, an adorable sound slightly muffled by his mum’s shirt. His messy curls cover his face, spreading out to just below Regina’s chin. He follows them with his eyes before settling on her. She looks so relaxed, even has a small smile on her face. One arm is stretched out to Roland’s side of the bed and the other is bent, allowing her hand to rest on her stomach. Soon, right under where her palm lays flat, she’ll have a little bump. He wishes he could touch it again, feel the difference now and as their baby begins to grow. 

He watches them for just a couple more minutes before he forces himself to stand up. He can’t help but lean forward though, running his fingers very gently through his son's hair and placing a kiss on his forehead. He feels the urge to do the same for Regina, but he’s not sure how deep of a sleeper she is and he's worried he might wake her. So, he settles with just a soft kiss to her cheek. His lips barely even meet her skin but, at least it’s something. He wants nothing more than to climb into the bed and pull them both into his arms. Still with one lingering glance over his shoulder, he walks away.

 

His mind seems to be in a spiral of sorts when he does get back to his room. He can’t shut his mind off. He has no earthly idea how long he’s been lying there in the darkness and silence. He doesn’t see sleep happening tonight. Sighing, he sits up and reaches for his book again, flicking the switch of his bedside lamp and scooting back so that he can rest comfortably against his pillows. 

The story unfolding on the pages in front of him is a good distraction. He reads and reads, getting lost in that fictional world. So, when he hears a very light knock and the sound of his door knob turning, he jumps slightly. Regina’s face peaks in slowly and she looks sleepy and gorgeous. He doesn’t hesitate in closing his book and tossing it back on the nightstand. By the time he’s pushed his covers aside and climbed out of bed, she is standing fully in his room, door shut and arms wrapped tightly around her middle. 

Striding toward her, he asks, “What’s wrong?” 

“Nothing.” She smiled. “I was just heading to our room and I saw the light was on in here. I didn’t think you’d still be up.”

He shrugs, “I couldn’t sleep.”

“Oh,” Rubbing her hands along her arms, she looks away for a second. “I’m sorry. And, I’m sorry that I fell asleep with Ro. I know I asked you-“

“It’s alright.” He doesn’t let her finish, there’s no need. “You two looked incredibly cute cuddled up together like that.” He says it before he can think about it and it has her tilting her head a little curiously at him. “You needed the rest. You have to work tomorrow and I could tell you were tired all day.”

“I _was_ tired.” She laughs softly. “I suppose that’s why I fell asleep cuddled up with our four year old. He snores by the way, gets that from you.”

He chuckles at that. “Does he?” 

“Mhmm. It doesn’t bother me much anymore. I got used to it sleeping with you.” The next part, she whispers. “The silence is almost harder now.” She says it very quietly, almost too low for him to hear, even with his close proximity to her.

But, he does hear it and he’s about to say something. He’s just not sure what. She doesn’t let him though, speaking up again. “Um... I came in here for a reason.”

“To unnecessarily apologize?”

She smirks and bites her lip, a sight that makes him do the same. “Yes... and to tell you that I made an appointment for tomorrow just to confirm things with the baby. I took a half day from work, Tink already agreed to get the boys for me...” 

“Can I come?”

Her head shoots up and her eyes meet his. “You don’t have to-“

He takes the one last step toward her and pulls her in for a hug. “I want to, please.” When he feels her nod into his chest, he smiles. “What time is your appointment?”

“Noon.” She pulls back slightly to look at him. “I can swing by here to pick you up at 11:30 if you really want to come.”

“I do. I’ll be ready.” 

“Good,” she yawns as she says the word and he can’t help but laugh. 

“I think you need to get to bed.” 

She pulls away completely and looks down to the floor. “You’re probably right.” Turning to his door, she pulls it open. “Goodnight, Robin.”

Then she closes it again before he can even say anything back. He wishes he didn’t feel like he was constantly walking on eggshells. Not that she is making him feel that way. It’s just, he knows she wants more, it’s obvious. And he wants it too. He’s just unsure of how to go about it. For some reason, he feels like he’s taking advantage. 

Sighing, he runs his fingers through his hair and walks back over to the bed, flicking off the lamp as he climbs in and knowing that he won’t be sleeping tonight. 

——

He’s counting his breaths. In and out, one. Again, two.... he’s on eighty-three when she opens his door again. It’s very dark but, in the past few minutes, his eyes have adjusted enough to see her silhouette. He sits up immediately, forgetting about the numbers on his mind and focusing on her. As she walks toward the bed, he hears her whisper a question of “Robin?”

“Regina? What’s wrong?” His eyes follow her as she finally approaches him, reaching her hand out. 

“I can’t sleep. I...” her voice cracks slightly. “I can’t sleep without you.”

“Come here.” He doesn’t wait for her to round the bed and climb in, instead he pulls her hand until she’s practically falling on top of him. 

She lets out a little yelp of surprise but cuddles in close anyway. The way they’ve settled has her lying over him, head on his shoulder and legs tangled with his. “This can’t be comfortable for you.” She whispers, warm breath on his neck making him shiver just a little. 

“I beg to differ.” His hands move up and down her back, running soft lines that cause her back to arch on occasion. She has always been a little ticklish there. Still, it feels heavenly. 

“You don’t have to do this. We could go to our room if you want. That way, when I fall asleep you can leave.”

“Why would I do that?” 

“Because you need your space.” She sighs, pushing herself up just enough to look at him in the eyes. “Me crawling into your bed in the middle of the night is not giving you your space.”

One of his hands moves from her back to her cheek, “What if I don’t want space?”

A hint of a smile appears on her face. “But the doctor said-“

“To stick to my normal routine. That includes sleeping with you, does it not?” He raises an eyebrow at her, waiting for her answer. 

“It does.” She hesitates. “But, he also said that pushing you too fast could lead to you doubting what you feel versus what we told you that you feel. I don’t want you to resent me.”

“I don’t think I ever could.” She rolls her eyes at that and he smiles. “Honestly, I’m still trying to figure things out, yes. But, you haven’t told me that I love sleeping with you. I know I do. I haven’t slept better than when we took that little nap together the other morning.” 

“Really?”

“Really.” When he watches a smile form on her face, he can’t help but reciprocate it. “So, If you don’t mind, I’d love to sleep with you every night for the foreseeable future.” As soon as the words left his mouth, he winced. “That didn’t sound right, saying it aloud.”

She actually laughs at that, her whole body moving against his as she does. It stirred something within and he momentarily struggles to keep the desire that rushes over him at bay. A feat that’s especially difficult when she’s lying flush against him like this. 

Her voice breaks him away from his thoughts. “I understood what you meant though, I have to admit that it did sound a little dirty aloud, especially since you asked while I’m quite literally on top of you.” She laughs again. “But, yes. I’d love for you to _sleep_ with me.”

She smiles again and braces her arms on either side of him to help push herself up. After successfully climbing off of him, she grabs his hand and pulls him with her to their bedroom where -he hopes- he can finally get some sleep.

_________

The sound of her alarm pulls him from his sleep, but he doesn’t move until she tries to wrench herself free of him to climb out of the bed. She must be a very light sleeper and, apparently, he is too. The alarm is barely audible and yet, it’s still effective for both of them. She’s more on his side of the bed then her own and the faint chime lingers. Even with her stretching her arm out as far as possible, she can’t reach the thing. So, she tries to shimmy out of his arms carefully, clearly unaware that he’s even awake. He’s reluctant to let her go. 

When she grabs his hand and tries to move his arm from around her, he only tightens it, an act that must alert her to the fact that he isn’t sleeping. She lets out a little sigh and a soft warning of, “Robin.” He doesn’t answer. Rolling on her back so that she can turn to face him, she mutters. “I know you’re awake.”

His attempt at a sleepy face quickly fails as a smirk forms on his lips and he finally opens his eyes. “I don’t want you to get up yet.”

She smiles at that, bringing a hand up to rub against his cheek. “I can stay five more minutes. But only if you let me turn off the alarm.” She goes to reach out again, expecting him to let her go this time but, instead, he rolls on top of her and reaches for the thing himself, checking the time in the process. 

He’s hovering over her when he asks, “Why do you have to get up so bloody early?”

“I don’t like to have to rush in the morning. And I have to get the boys ready, make breakfast, pack lunches... Not to mention showering and getting dressed, myself.”

He tilts his head to the side a little, “What if I got the boys up and dressed _and_ I made breakfast? How much extra time would that leave you?”

Grinning, she shakes her head. “You don’t have to be up yet. Stay in bed, enjoy the luxury while it lasts.”

“I would enjoy it much more if I could spend it with you.” Leaning down, he places a quick kiss to her lips. Then, he plops down next to her on the bed again. 

“Well, as much as I’d enjoy that, I know if I don’t get up now, I won’t want to at all.” Sitting up, she leans over him long enough to kiss his cheek. “But thank you.” And with that, she climbs out of bed and walks toward the bathroom. A second later, he hears the shower turn on. 

Pushing the sheets to the side, he walks toward the door she’d just closed behind her. After knocking lightly, he hears her soft “Come in.” He can see her peek her head out from behind the curtain as he brushes his teeth. “You should be resting.”

“And you shouldn’t have to do everything on your own. Let me help.”

“Good luck, Roland is a little monster in the mornings.” But still, she’s smiling as she disappears back behind the curtain again. “And I’m not going to lay back down, I’m already up. That would be counterproductive.”

He can’t help the little chuckle that escapes. “I figured as much. But maybe next time you’ll _stay_ in bed a little longer in the first place. Now that you know that I am willing and able to help.”

She pops her head out one more time. “Thank you.”

He simply nods, “I guess I better go deal with our little monster.”

They both laugh. 

—————-

She rushes into the house to change at precisely eleven thirty-six. He’s ready. He’s _been_ ready for nearly an hour and a half.

Truthfully, he never went back to sleep after she left to work with the boys. Once the house was filled with silence, his mind started to wander and he quickly realized that he was both a bundle of excitement and nerves about this appointment. He has two children, yes. He’s been through this before whether he has the memory of those events or not. It just…. doesn’t feel that way. It _feels_ like it's the first time. And the prospect of learning even the tiniest of details about the baby growing inside of her has him excited. Well, excited and nervous. 

He’s not quite sure why he feels the latter. 

Maybe it’s because he’s trying to contain the excitement. 

He knows she’s happy about this, if a bit skeptical about the timing. He still feels the need to comfort. And he doesn’t want to dwell on the fact that he doesn’t remember her last two pregnancies. But more importantly, he doesn’t want _her_ to dwell on the fact that he has no recollection of her first two pregnancies. So, he’s nervous. 

She must be able to pick up on his mixed feelings because they’re not even halfway through the short drive to the doctors office before she’s asking him what’s wrong. She’d made quick work of trading her dress pants and blouse for jeans and a t-shirt when she’d gotten home. So, it’s not until they’re in the silence of the car that she brings it up. When she does, he’s not really sure how to answer. 

He’d been trying to hide the nerves and he somehow knows that telling her he’s just excited isn’t going to be believed. “How far along do you think you are?” Asking a question to evade answering hers may be a little cowardly but, then again, it’s better than telling his wife that he’s worried about hurting her feelings by saying aloud what they both already know-that he doesn’t remember ever having done this before.

She gives him a side glance like she knows what he’s doing, though she doesn’t push. “I really don’t know. My cycles aren’t exactly predictable. It’s been nearly three months since my last one.”

His eyebrows shot up in surprise. “So you could be as far along as twelve weeks?” 

She shrugged. “I highly doubt I’m that far along. I think I would’ve noticed earlier than twelve weeks.”

Nodding his head, he does the mental math. “When was the last time we..”

Glancing over at him, she smirks. “Had sex?” He simply nods, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. “About three weeks ago...the night before your accident.” 

“And three weeks would be too early to tell, right?”

“I would assume so. With Henry and Roland, it was about six weeks.” 

He nods. “Would that time-line fit now, too?”

As she pulls into the parking lot of the doctors office, she looks over at him again. “Are you asking if we had sex exactly six weeks ago?” 

“That sounds pretty ridiculous, doesn’t it?” Shaking his head, he groans.

But she just laughs. “Truthfully? I have no clue. It’s not exactly a rare occurrence for us.” When their eyes meet, he can see how a slight blush has creeped onto her cheeks. “Is everything alright?” With the car being safely parked, she turns in her seat and reaches over to grab his hand. “You know that the doctor will be able to tell how far along I am, right?”

Giving her hand a gentle squeeze, he smiles. “I know. Questions just help keep my mind busy. And I wanted to have an idea before we walked in there.”

She just nods. “Everything will be okay.”

———

She was right, of course. She seems to always be right. Not that he’s complaining at the moment.

He’s got nothing to complain about. Especially as he holds her hand and listens to the doctor tell them that their baby is at roughly eight weeks. 

The moment he hears a little heartbeat sing from the speakers on the monitor, he squeezes her hand tighter and wills the tears to stay back. There’s not much of anything to be seen on the screen. It just looks like moving blobs of grey and yet still, he’s fascinated and in love. And it’s simply because he knows that it’s his baby that he’s hearing. 

She’s got a small smile on her face and it’s not until he glances in her direction that he realizes she’s been watching him, not the screen. He smiles back, if a little bit sheepishly. 

“It’s alright.” Giving his hand another squeeze, she sighs. “Seeing your reaction, like it’s the first time again… it makes me feel more nostalgic than hurt.”

“This is incredible. I can’t even describe the way I feel right now.” He shakes his head, a small chuckle escaping with his sigh of relief over not having to hide all of the excitement. “That’s our baby.”

“It is…” She looks away from him and back toward the screen again. “And they’re growing fast. Two months already…”

“Roughly.” The doctor cuts in. “It’s hard to tell exactly.” She smiles. “Everything looks good. You know the drill, Regina. Schedule a follow up appointment with the secretary to check back in a few weeks. I’ll get you a few ultrasound pictures and you know how to teach me if you have any questions.”

“Thank you.”

He watches the doctor as she leaves the room and he smiles again. “We’ll have a little baby in seven months!”

She chuckles, “Yes we-“

He can’t help but cut her off. Framing her face with both hands, his lips find hers. She lets out a surprised _mhmm_ though she pulls him slightly closer. 

When they break apart, he ducks his head a little shyly. “Sorry.” 

“You need to stop apologizing for being my husband.” She smiles. “And I can tell that you’re trying to contain your excitement about the baby, too. You don’t need to do that either.” Pulling him back to her, she kisses him softly. “We can be excited together. This is something we wanted. The timing may not be ideal but maybe this is what we need right now. Maybe it’s what _you_ need.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope anyone who reads, enjoys. Stay safe. Much love❤️  
> -Amber

**Author's Note:**

> Chapter 1 Prompts:  
> 190: Robin loses his memories and Regina must make him fall in love with her again. (This prompt isn't completed in the first chapter).
> 
> Go follow me on twitter for a sneak peak at chapter 2 tonight:) @regallove2


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